Twilight Always Falls
by Mystic Vaporeon
Summary: To govern the ultimate weapon-That is his goal. Whether it takes a hundred lives or more to get it. Follow the drama of a man lost to his own mind, and the two people he savagely ripped apart to attain it. A dark and Rocketshippy novel. ~Complete!~
1. Part 1

Author's note: AHHHH!! This whole fic got completely deleted for reasons unbeknowst to me, :::Kics fanfiction.net::: So now I've lost all the nice things everyone said about this fic! T_T Ah well, maybe I'll get a few more readers this time around! ^_^ Please review, my day needs it trust me

Twilight Always Falls

Prologue

The inky blackness consumed the young man, the only sensation penetrating his mind, the feeling of hot tears and blood running down his cheeks. He was not sure if he was blind, but his eyes had perceived nothing but black for so long he didn't care. He closed the bruised and swollen eyes in a futile effort to rest his horrifically aching body, but acute hearing picked up the sound of the heavy, bolted metal door's digital locks being decoded. It beeped in satisfaction as the correct combination was entered and he tensed apprehensively as the sound of formal dress shoes sounded against the bare and unforgiving tiled walls of his enclosure. He heard the usual procedural sounds of the occasional visits from the men he had once worked with and sighed as he realized what they had come for. 

Bracing himself for the inevitable, he winced as he felt the cold, thin metal of a syringe pierce his neck, the utter terror and panic the only thoughts and emotions passing through his blurred and incoherent mind. The pain had become so intense days ago it no longer registered in his brain and his entire being felt numb, so much so that nothing permeated through the void he had put between himself and the world. He sought to escape the torture, the betrayal and the hurt, and had succeeded, and with the distancing of his conscious and equitable mind, he lost his battle for life. "We're losing him sir!" He barely heard the panicked words above him, feeling the first white-hot pains of the serum surging through his veins. _"It hurts this time!"_ he thought with minimal alarm, opening his deadened brown eyes for what he knew was the last time.

They met with the man that watched as the life slowly dissolved away with the burning liquid of the needle that had pierced his flesh just moments before, and it was clear to his oppressor the venom behind the dying man's eyes. "Hmm, tragedy, I had really hoped this one would pull through," he muttered absent-mindedly, "no matter, I'll just have to get another one." Though the young man was unable to answer verbally, as the other soul departed, he used the last of his strength to send a message to his mind. _"You'll pay for this you heartless bastard_!" he hissed virulently. The older man stopped, grinning sadistically as he turned back to the youth on the table below him. "You forget, you've already been dead for weeks! It was a beautiful funeral too, your little blonde friend committed suicide right after I believe, at least now you have something to look forward to," he responded casually, "that is if she's rotting in hell."

The young man heard no more from his murderer, clenching his teeth as the pain escalated to a hideous crescendo, surging throughout his body like rusted and ravenous knives. _"II'm so sorry, II failed you,"_ he thought as his body no longer responded to his brain. He opened his mouth to scream, but found that he was pleasantly relaxed, smiling one last time as he spat the last of the blood from his mouth. "I'm sorry I failed you, Cassidy" the teal-haired youth muttered longingly as all vital sign monitors about his battered body went dead with a mournful and final wail of agony.

Part 1

Heat reigned with omnipotence that day, the sun beating down on the shore of the miniscule lake mercilessly, reflecting off its surface with a vengeance into the eyes of the small group at its shore, as if to spite their failure and intensify the feelings of loss. They sat up with difficulty, their first priorities each other, and throwing themselves into the other's arms, they affirmed that they had survived the latest painful blast off. Relieved, they looked then for the Pokemon that accompanied them, concern for his wellbeing rising with the relief of their mutual safety.

They were answered by a groan as the cream-colored cat rose from the ground a few feet further to the waterline than the duo above him. He squeezed his eyes shut as he inspected the glittering charm, already hot from the sun, on his forehead, and shook his head vigorously to clear his vision before searching for his absent friends. "Jess? Jim?" he called, panicked, but heaved a sigh of relief as he spotted the two Rockets a short distance from his location.

Jessie and James smiled warmly as Meowth struggled from the soft grass and into their arms, grateful to see his friends alright. "Geez! I tought youse two was Gyrados bait!" he breathed. The humans swallowed hard, recalling the day's events, and not exactly enlightened by possessing the knowledge of what the back of the blue Dragon Pokemon's throat looked like. "That sure was a close call, who could've known those Magikarp would evolve to help out the twerps?" James muttered. "Those self-righteous little brats I swear I saw that rat smile before roasting us to a crisp," Jessie hissed bitterly clenching her fists in front of her face.

James sighed mournfully at seeing his partner in pain, smoothing her ruffled crimson mane affectionately, and ignoring the biting pain of several electrical burns along the length of his arm. "We'll get them sooner or later, but let's worry about us for now. You hurt anywhere? Meowth?" he asked, wincing at his own pain as he stood. Jessie noticed the furtive display of pain, but shook her head as she joined him on her feet. "Not really," she answered confidently, "nothing a few band-aides and some burn ointment won't fix in a few days." James nodded in relief, but he yelped in pain as Jessie put a hand to his shoulder, falling to his knees abruptly. "James, you're hurt," she said tenderly, wincing as she brought her hand back with a few bloodstains on her tattered black glove. "I'm fine, it's nothing, I should look at you two first," he replied determinedly to which Jessie smirked crookedly at. "Always me and Meowth before you right James? Later you'd be whining more than the both of us combined, but this time I'm not going to give you the opportunity. Let's get you back to camp," she said tenderly, shaking her head as James' formerly confident step faltered. He closed his eyes remorsefully, sinking to the ground, and looked up balefully at his red-haired friend.

She smoothed his cerulean hair away from his dirty forehead and smiled, stooping to drape his arm across her shoulders, assisting him to stand and walk, heeding the plea his emerald eyes conveyed to her. He accepted her help, limping forward on a mildly painful ankle as the still silent and brooding cat followed.

The Rockets didn't reach their destination until the murky and humid twilight of late summer set its thick quilt upon the world, and in far more foul moods than before. Meowth hadn't spoken a word since the initial relief of seeing Jessie and James in somewhat good health, and Jessie was contemplating dropping her incapacitated blue-haired partner to walk himself. He had been complaining about his various aches and pains as well as the heat the entire way back, and Jessie could practically feel her hair bristle in fury, her infamous temper finally giving out on her. "James could you possibly shut up for now? The heat is getting to all of us! I know damn well! So if you don't knock it off you can just walk!" she snapped as his whining reached an intolerable zenith.

James looked momentarily hurt in the robust crimson light spilling over the mountains, but he knew better than to test his fiery-spirited friend and immediately fell silent. "Sorry Jess," was his only utterance. She felt a pang of remorse at hurting his feelings so often as she did, but quickly banished it, swearing that if he spoke one more word to her that evening she was going to beat him within an inch of his life. James sensed the impending doom, and the entire group was completely silent as they finally held their campsite in their weary eyes once again, bathed in a cooler shade of purple as the flame-red disc slowly sank beneath the mountains to blister another part of the world.

Jessie forced a kind and loving touch as she gently helped James to his still unkempt and obviously slept in sleeping roll, setting him down with a small and caring smile. "Sit tight James, I'll go get the stuff," she promised him. James merely nodded in response and sighed deeply and painfully as he watched Jessie stoop to rummage through the small bag that contained all of their worldly possessions. They kept it strapped tightly to the bottom of the woven basket of the Meowth Balloon, and since there wasn't much else in it besides James' comic and bottle cap collections, a few pictures of each other, other various trinkets, and Jessie's immense hair and make-up bag, she located the first aide-kit with ease.

She hefted its bulk in relief, grateful they had stopped for supplies before attempting their latest predictable failure, and walked briskly back to her injured friend. Her gaze softened as she watched him banish the tears from his eyes, assuming a braver and more assertive stature as she approached him. "Okay James, where'd that little freak of nature get you?" she asked attempting to change the mood. It seemed to work, as James snickered softly at the comment, removing his tattered and worn black gloves slowly. "It's always because of the stupid yellow rat, and that dumber-than-a-slowpoke Ash isn't it?" he mused remorsefully.

Jessie sighed, taking his burned and battered hands into her own, which were marred in exactly the same way. "James, we've been handed a shitty deal in life, we have to face that, but someday, we'll catch that Pikachu and the boss will let us go! I promise you that," she assured him, cupping his chin in her hand and directing his sullen emerald eyes upward. James managed a vague smile as they met with Jessie's brilliant and encouraging azures, suddenly feeling worlds better than he had when she had been cross with him. "I'm sorry I keep screwing it up for you," he said softly. "Don't blame yourself James, we have no other choice but to be here, or dead," Jessie answered, shaking her head to assure her friend.

James said nothing after this, and with a small degree of difficulty, removed his thinned white jacket, revealing several other patches of reddened electrical burns at which Jessie gasped at the sight of. "Oh James," she breathed in empathy, realizing he had bore the brunt of the aggression of the sadistic rodent. "It's not too bad, really, there's a few more I can feel on my back, and a few scrapes from those Gyrados," he added, shuddering at the mention of his old enemy. "Take off the black shirt too," Jessie instructed, and James abided by her request, removing the last garment from his upper body.

The red-haired rocket prepared herself for the sight, knowing that not only would he be wounded, but she would again have to view the ugly and spiteful scars along his back once again. She had cried alongside of him when he had finally told her the terrible story of his childhood, and how both his fiance and his parents had whipped him and beaten him, in addition to telling him how worthless he was. Suddenly realizing why James was so morose that evening, Jessie flinched as she finally looked upon his back.

The scars were fading, but there was no mistaking the furious contempt behind the lashes that had created them. Jessie gingerly touched the burn ointment to the most painful looking wound, and he winced in pain. "Sorry, I'll be more gentle," she said quietly. He simply sighed in response, and Jessie didn't even have to ask to know what he was thinking about. "James your parents are idiots, you know that right?" she said critically, fuming at even the mere mention of them.

James turned over his shoulder, a shocked expression distorting his features. "How did you know I was-" Jessie silenced him, turning him again to tend to his back. "You've been apologizing all day, and it's not your fault, we're a team, it's all of our faults," she said warmly. "Yeah but I can't help feeling like I'm usually solely responsible, and I can't seem to get over thinking about how stupid I really am," he answered solemnly. "James you are not stupid! I know you've been told that all your life but they were so wrong! I've never heard anything more ridiculous in my life!" Jessie yelled incredulously.

Managing a small smile, James disregarded his wounds and gazed adoringly at his friend, who mirrored it as she ran a hand through his hair once. "You really mean that?" he asked in a small voice. "Of course I do! You're the most charming, charismatic, and intelligent person I know James! Why else would I hang around with you if I didn't simply adore you?" Jessie replied amiably. James smiled gratefully, hugging his friend in understanding and even a bit of relief she hadn't lost faith in him. "Thanks Jessie," he whispered, grateful to be reminded of exactly why she was his best friend. "No prob, now can I please get you cleaned up before you start to fester?" she asked chuckling. James laughed and sat back up, bracing himself for the pain as Jessie cleansed his abrasions.

After the trio had finished aiding each other in their woes, and James finally felt more like his old self again, they met with the unpleasant realization that they had run out of food a few days ago. Jessie felt her anger boil again as well, discovering that all they had left was a single bag of Pokechow they had picked up for Arbok, Weezing, Likitung, and Victreebel. Meowth, typical of his more human than Pokemon persona, refused to touch the nondescript hunks of synthetic treats. The rest of the Pokemon loved the stuff, and the feline winced as they threw themselves vivaciously into their meal. 

Both Jessie and James smiled warmly at their beloved Pokemon friends, happy they didn't have to have the dubious pleasure of starving that night, and attempting unsuccessfully to conceal their own empty stomachs' protesting. "Meowth, we found a few tidbits of food left, you sure you don't wanna eat?" James offered, holding out the last can of sardines to the cat. "Yeah, I'll just starve wid youse guys," he answered solemnly, and James tossed the tin back into the balloon. "Bet those twerps are spending the night in a nice warm hotel with a hot dinner and running water," Jessie sibilated abhorrently, poking their meager fire with a vengeance. "I bet, but you forget we have to report in tomorrow morning, we don't even really get to sleep tonight," James muttered taking a seat next to her.

The young woman sighed gratefully as James' hands moved deftly across her back, locating a few of her larger knots and pressing his thumbs gently into them. "Just relax Jessie, we can spend the night in our room back at headquarters tomorrow night, and we can take a day or two to chill, then we'll be good as new," he promised her. Jessie nodded, her weary eyes drooping at James' rhythmic massage, and she eased herself into his lap affectionately, breathing in the unique scent that was James, laced with a bit of burn ointment. "Go to sleep Jess," he soothed, "things will get better, I promise you that." Jessie finally closed her eyes to sleep, letting the soft and tender voice and touch of her friend lull her pleasantly. 

James too, drifted off to sleep with Jessie in his arms, and the ever-vigilant Meowth took it upon himself to cover his slumbering companions with James' sleeping roll. He smiled warmly as he deftly maneuvered himself between the two humans, coiling into a comfortable ball to sleep as well, stifling a purr as he felt James' hand underneath his chin. "Aw James, ya know I don't like dat," he breathed, unable to control shutting his eyes in pleasure. "I just don't want to see you so sad anymore, and you know you do," his blue-haired friend replied deviously. Meowth's smile broadened as he succumbed to the rare treatment, sighing contentedly. "Don't worry about me Jimmy, I'm a survivor, we all are, and don't tell Jessie I like dis. I'll neva hear da end of it!" he replied.

James was satisfied with the answer and huddled closer to his honorary family, wrapping his arms as best he could around both the feline and Jessie, closing his eyes joyfully. "Goodnight Jess, Meowth," he breathed. "Night James," he replied, and James finally allowed sleep to overcome him that night.

* * *

Giovanni sighed as he watched the black pointer move across the computer screen deftly, picking up an employee file and dropping it in the recycle bin definitively. He shook his head and looked out the window to see that night had already fallen upon the Team Rocket base in Saffron city, and that no other light in the room illuminated his ominous figure save for the ethereal blue glow of the computer screen. "Well that was a waste," he muttered distastefully, turning back to his machine to search for the folder that contained the rest of the information he sought. He found it without difficulty, and opened it, immediately shaking his head at the first file that appeared on the screen. "No, no, no, who's next?" he muttered. An image of a young woman appeared next in the directory, her index and middle fingers of her right hand up in a victory sign, winking and running her other hand through her long mane of scarlet hair vainly. Giovanni smirked. "She would survive, but she's got a fiery spirit, she'd rebel against me, and I'd hate to have to kill her after all that," he mused.

The next picture that appeared was of a man about the same age as the woman before, but the stature was noticeably different. He looked more like a Ponyta caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck, his emerald eyes wide with fear and uncertainty, traces of utter terror and almost remorse behind them. Giovanni moved the cursor to proceed to the next file, but something stopped him, his thin malicious lips coiling into a grin as he read through the profile of the young blue-haired man.

Without another move he picked up the phone next to his computer, never taking his eyes of the screen as he hit a few keys on the pad. He brought the receiver to his ear gently after he finished dialing, counting the dull rings silently to himself, jumping slightly as the human on the other end picked up. "Hello?" a distinctly feminine voice asked. "Begin preparations Deirdre, I believe I've found someone to be our test subject beta," Giovanni answered. There was a long pause, followed by a shaky breath on Deirdre's end of the line. "Sir, after the last one, I don't know if I can handle another, I know you're upset about our first dapple in your request, but this is inhuman!" she replied in a small voice.

Giovanni looked away sharply, attempting futilely to ebb his rage, and clenched his teeth bitterly. "I don't fucking care what you think! Do it or so help me I will find ways to make you suffer that won't even compare to your worst nightmare!" he snarled into the phone. "Yes, sir, right away," Deirdre said brokenly, and the still seething Giovanni was left alone.

He smiled crookedly after a time, and set the phone back down, activating the small bell inside its mechanism with a gentle tinkle. He sat back down at his desk, a small chuckle rising in his throat as he twirled around jovially to face the large window of his personal office. He stood up, intrigued by the orange haze of the street lamps that illuminated both the avenue below him and his devoid of light room, moving to the windowsill.

He looked to the velvet summer sky, dotted with sluggish and almost inebriated stars, and sighed deeply, almost seeing the events unfold in front of him again. He could feel his mind tingle with the impeccable psychic power, feel the searing pain of the old office building collapsing atop of him, and the utter loss he felt when his life's work had escaped, never to be found again. "I cannot believe that bastard did that to me, after all I did for him. What gives him the right to suddenly declare that he's good, and righteous and I'm wrong when it's him who is so? He was meant to be my slave, he was born knowing he would do so! It was all so perfect! Where did I fucking go wrong?!" he screeched to the listless sky. "Where am I going wrong again? Where? It's starting again, and I won't let it! I lost the first one, but I won't lose another! I'm tired of the shit life has given me, I will be on top, and if it takes a few lives to get there, so be it! So fucking be it!"

Giovanni finally grew too frustrated to stay in the office building any longer, so he gathered what he needed to take home that night and quickly exited his office, not even bothering to lock the door. He stopped once at his car, however, looking up to the mocking strata defiantly, a smug grin once again upon his spiteful lips. "No, this is different from Mewtwo, if I start with a broken soul, then there isn't a need to break it and it will be mine forever. This will be different, this time I will succeed."

To be continued? So, shall I continue? Or does this get sent to my recycle bin?

^_^;;


	2. Part 2

Author's note: Ah well, looking back, I doubt I really posted enough to give ya'll a good taste of the fic, and since the few reviews I've already gotten have been VERY nice, I'll post this part too! ^_^ Thanks guys! It's going to get sadistic soon, and some scenes may be a bit disturbing, so keep the kiddies away! LOL Anyways, let me know what you think!

Twilight Always Falls

The next day dawned on the woods to find the Rocket trio of field agents missing, the only trace they had ever been there the dispersed ashes and stones from a campfire. They had reported in earlier that morning, and were none too thrilled at having get up as early as they did. None of them dared complain but to each other, but all conversation stopped as soon as the entered the pristine lobby of Giovanni's office.

The secretary had confirmed their appointment time, and had instructed them to wait in the small indifferent and almost hostile feeling room. They had obliged and sat down, Meowth choosing to sit upon the small glass coffee table to paw through the various magazines kept there while Jessie and James had taken the two seats next to it, and had remained silent for practically the entire hour they had been waiting there.

James felt his stomach twist with fear as no sound permeated through his ears except for the occasional sigh from his partner, and the near deafening ticking of the nostalgic clock hung above the glass secretary's window. His eyes wandered downward to a set of two photographs adorned with a few white candles burning respectively beneath them, a typical and respective homage to the dead. He winced as he remembered the duo that had been so savagely ripped apart, with the death of Butch, who had disappeared one day, never to return again.

It was announced a few days after his mysterious disappearance, that there had been a tragic accident involving the teal-haired young Rocket, and that he had passed away in the care of the Team Rocket professionals. It had affected the entire Team immensely, as it always had when they lost a member, and James felt tears sting his eyes as he remembered the day it had been announced that Butch was gone.

James and Jessie had eventually reconciled with the duo after numerous arguments over the few battles they'd had in the field, usually ending with one team or both being arrested, and they'd discovered they had a lot in common. Butch and his partner and long time friend Cassidy had been friends for as long as they could remember, and were completely inseparable, and the four had eventually become friends. James sighed as his eyes fell upon the photo of the blond young woman next to the previous one, and the image of her crying bitterly onto Jessie's shoulder in front of their teammates and peers flashed across his mind's eye.

The funeral had taken place on a dismal day in late winter, and James recalled that it had rained appropriately for the occasion. Cassidy had sobbed through the entire proceeding, and Jessie could do nothing but cling to James' hand to prevent herself from crying that day too. He could almost hear Cassidy's words at the side of the black casket ring in his ears again, almost hear the gunshot she had fired to end her own life, and clearly remembered the letters she had written to all three members of James' team.

The blue haired youth wiped the tears away from his cheeks and averted his eyes from the images that stirred so many painful memories in his mind. "James? James what's wrong?" he looked up into Jessie's reassuring gaze and smiled. "Nothing much, I was just thinking about them," he answered motioning to the memorial. Jessie's mouth fell open as her eyes met with it, frowning and looking away from the photos and back to her friend. "Yeah, I really miss them, too," she whispered mournfully.

James opened his mouth to offer a word of consolation, but he was stopped as the door to the office was opened and the violet-haired secretary stepped into the room. "Jessie, James, and your Meowth?" she asked flipping through the pages on her clipboard. They stood at the mention of their names, and filed orderly and regimentally through the door after the secretary.

She said nothing more, simply waving them in the general direction of the office, but they had walked the path of the long ominous hall so many times they practically knew it by heart. James swallowed hard as he passed his protruding carpet nail, the usual signal that doom was eminent, and looked back up, feeling the involuntary response of his eyes widening in fear as Jessie pushed through the double doors to Giovanni's office.

The red-coated Rocket boss sat at his desk as usual, his eyes glued intently to the computer screen, scanning over something with a child-like and devilish grin on his face. Jessie took James' hand furtively behind her back as she stepped forward, and the blue-haired Rocket cringed in utter horror, timidly shrinking behind his friend as she cleared her throat. "Um, sir? We're here for a routine status report?" she said in a cowardly small voice. James hated hearing her sound so small and afraid, as normally she was quite assertive over the vid-phones and in their daily lives, but the ominous sight of their boss in person reduced her to a whimpering and apologetic child. Though he himself even had to cower behind her during the few meetings they ever shared with the middle-aged tyrant, he sighed as he realized he hated what each member of the team became in his presence.

Giovanni's computer bleeped as he exited the program he had been using, and he swiveled at first cheerfully around in his chair, but his face instantly fell at the sight of the bumbling trio. "Oh, it's you, so I assume your Pokemon capture count is zero again?" he asked drawing a small clipboard from his desk. "Yes sir, and the P-Pikachu mission r-remains-" "Incomplete as usual, nothing different, but why should I expect anything from losers like you three? Well we can't all make it far in this world, I guess you either aren't smart enough to take that chance, or the chance just doesn't deem you worthy," he snapped bitterly. "We're sorry sir, but-" Jessie stopped herself, terrified to disagree with Giovanni.

He grinned in relish as he realized exactly how afraid she was of him, and turned his eyes her cowering partner who hid with an utterly hurt and humiliated look distorting his young features. "Poor sensitive little James, this really burns you doesn't it?" he asked arrogantly. James' emerald eyes widened even farther, the rare occurrence of being spoken to catching him off-guard. "N-no sir," he replied almost inaudibly. "Well perhaps if your skull weren't so thick, you realize you are a failure, and stop trying to feebly convince yourself you're not," Giovanni replied in a haughty sneer. James looked away, ashamed of the tears in his eyes, resisting his urge to throw his arms about Jessie and sob.

She did the job for him, holding his trembling shoulders tenderly as she shot a furtive, but venomous glare at Giovanni. "It's okay James," she whispered. "Well that about clears things up, but one last thing, any injuries while on the job?" Giovanni asked, swiftly moving on. "Um a few, James got a little beaten during the last one, and I've got a few cuts and bruises, nothing major," Jessie answered sheepishly.

James whimpered almost inaudibly as Giovanni scratched something onto the clipboard roughly, and slid it with a loud crash into the bottom drawer of the glossy desk. "Alright, that'll do it for now, see you guys again after another couple of humiliating defeats!" he said cheerfully, and waved the trembling trio out the door.

They filed out obediently, and winced as the doors slammed shut behind them with a finality they'd never felt about the entrance before. "Well dat sure was scary," Meowth remarked dully. "And what was with the clipboard?" Jessie added as they started to the lobby. "I dunno, he's never written down anything we said before, or asked about injuries," James mused as they reached the elevator.

Jessie shrugged and leaned casually against the wall between the two glimmering metal doors as James took it upon himself to press the key marked with an upward arrow. He sighed as the elevator dinged in acceptance of his signal, and watched as it chose to take its passengers to the top floor before deciding upon theirs. His eyes returned to his sullen partner, and he felt his own spirits drop as he noted the disturbed and upset expression distorting her beautiful features. Never wanting to see his best friend so downtrodden, he searched his mind for anything he could say to cheer her, and repay her for the kindness she had shown him the previous day. "Hey Jess, I think The Princess Bride is on HBO tonight," he began carefully, and Jessie looked up in response," what do you say to going up to our room, each of us cleaning up, ordering a Pizza and spending the evening curled up on the couch in P.J's and stuffing our face with junk food?" Jessie perked at the mention of one of her favorite movies, and the aspect of one of her favorite activities to go along with it, and smiled warmly as the elevator doors slowly slid open.

James felt better having cheered Jessie as the group gratefully shuffled inside, Meowth hitching a ride upon his shoulders, and taking the liberty of pressing the key to the twentieth floor of the Team Rocket building. The doors closed, and the small chamber lurched into an upward motion with an efficient heave. "Well? Is it a date?" James asked once they were well on their way, to which Jessie smiled crookedly. "Of course! But I call dibs on the shower!" she replied. James looked only mildly defeated and the elevator completed its ascent to the previously selected level.

Stepping out of the double doors, James dismissed the feline from his head, who promptly filched the apartment key from Jessie's unsuspecting grasp and bolted down the hall toward the much coveted destination. "He's sure in a hurry," James muttered with a smirk. "Probably needs to clean his charm, do you have any idea how much he's been whining about it?" Jessie replied as they followed Meowth's flight. "No, but I probably would've smacked him if I did huh?" James said, wincing as they passed the apartment Butch and Cassidy had shared. Jessie grimaced craftily, and James didn't even have to inquire to know Meowth already had reason to abandon any complaint about the charm.

Jessie and James were welcomed to their shabby and miniscule apartment by the admissible door, and the pungent odor of the wax Meowth insisted upon polishing the glittering gold bangle atop his forehead with. "See? I told you!" Jessie proclaimed, pointing a finger to the small, traditional Japanese dining area where a stunned Meowth sat with a cloth to the object in question. "Okay, okay, you win! Now go clean up and I'll check and see what time the movie comes on," James said, rolling his eyes amiably as he nudged Jessie toward the bathroom.

She smiled warmly at her friend and leapt at the opportunity, dashing into the tiny, white-tiled room and shutting the door loudly behind her. "She'll be in dere for hours," Meowth muttered distastefully. "Yeah, but I'll let her, we've all had a horrible couple of days, and for some reason it calms her down, and I've really missed spending time with her when she's relaxed," James answered wistfully, moving to the cupboard for a bag of microwave popcorn. The feline smirked and went back to his charm as James tossed the paper packet into their ancient heating device and pressed a few buttons. The microwave sputtered to life, the small turntable on the interior hesitating only briefly before beginning its series of revolutions.

James took the opportunity to retreat to the bedroom he and Jessie were forced to share, yelling to Meowth to keep an eye on the popcorn as he changed, sighing in relief as he spotted the coveted drawer. He opened it swiftly, not even bothering to flip on the light, and immediately located what he sought after and had longed for ever since the trio had been absent from their small apartment in the Team Rocket complex, pulling his favorite pair of boxer shorts out and tossing them on his bed. He opened the drawer just above it, sifted through the contents and decided upon a simple white shirt to sleep in that night. James changed quickly, deciding he'd rather skip a shower that night than aggravate the still painful electrical burns, and walked back to the kitchen to the smell of burnt popcorn and even more wax.

"Meowth!" James cried as he realized the microwave had stopped. The cat looked up from a magazine he had been reading, a shocked expression on his face. "What? What'd I do?" he asked incredulously. James threw the door open and removed the smoking bag of black kernels, glaring at the cat who rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry Jimmy, I was just really in ta dis article about what female Pokemon look fer in a partner! Didya know dat goil Meowths find it sexy when a male keeps his charm pristine?" Meowth replied. James smiled and set the popcorn on the counter to cool before he disposed of it, casting the cat a furtive glance from the corners of his eyes. "It's okay pal, you increase your sexual prowess and I'll make some more popcorn," he said waving Meowth back to his magazine. Meowth knew he was forgiven, and went back to the captivating article as he heard the microwave creak into action.

James leaned casually on the kitchen counter as the first bursts from inside the machine sounded, running one of Jessie's brushes he'd found there absent mindedly through his short blue tresses. He set the pink handled tool down when he felt he had rid himself of tangles, and picked up the small booklet of television listings he had insisted upon subscribing to. Of course it was expensive, but he and Jessie were usually so exhausted when they were actually able to relax at home, they could barely muster energy to do anything but watch T.V, so his friend had agreed to it. He flipped to the page respective to the date, and traced down the columns with his finger until he found what he was looking for. "Ah ha! It starts at nine, Meowth what time is it?" he asked, noting that he was unable to see the clock on the living room wall.

Meowth turned the page before looking up and craned his neck to see, squinting his eyes to better read the thin black hands of the timepiece. "It's EightForty, no, fifty," he replied. "Ten minutes, that's fine, Jess should be done by then," James whispered to himself, stopping the microwave, "I'll put some water on to boil too, and I think we have some of her favorite tea left." Meowth chuckled to himself as James opened the cabinet below the stove, bringing out a decorative bowl painted with various grass and plant type Pokemon in a cheerful field setting, placing it near the steaming and fragrant bag on the counter. James pushed a few other bowls out of the way, and located the few brightly colored boxes of tea bags, smiling in victory and pulling two from a sunny yellow one. "Lemon, her favorite, our favorite," he breathed, almost to himself.

Meowth wondered briefly why James was trying to make the evening so special for Jessie, knowing that he had always been sweet and kind to her, but more than slightly confused as to why he was going to such lengths that night. He shrugged, deciding to forget about it, and join them when the inevitably fell asleep together on the couch as they so often did the first night back in the apartment. The cat smiled as his red-haired companion sauntered into the kitchen, looking quite satisfied and much happier in her short, pink, silk nightgown and her loose hair hanging far past her knees.

James turned as he sensed Jessie's presence behind him, smiling at her as she retrieved her favorite brush from the counter, and picked a few foreign blue strands from it. She grinned devilishly and placed them back on James' head, snickering quietly as she sat cross-legged at the low table opposite Meowth. "Hey!" James protested, running a hand through his hair to clear it, "what was that for?" Jessie shrugged as she brushed her own still sopping wet hair, a spray of fragrant mist dampening James' outstretched hands, his futile attempt to ward it off. "Well, I'm a firm believer in returning things people lose!" she replied, laughing. James shook his head in mock scorn and sat behind his friend, taking the brush from her still moving hand. "Can I play Jess?" he asked brightly.

Jessie laughed loudly at him, but shrugged and smiled happily as she felt his deft and tender movements through her hair. "This isn't helping your masculinity you know James," she said jokingly. "I don't care, I love playing with your hair! You don't mind do you?" he asked in a serious tone, stopping with a hint of disappointment if the answer was yes. "No no! Keep going! I actually think it's kind of sweet, the only other person who liked my hair as much as you do was my mom, and having you play with it reminds me of her in a nice way," Jessie answered and could almost hear the gentle voice of her parent behind her again. "Good, cause I wasn't gonna stop anyway." Jessie wasn't the least bit disappointed to hear the gentle tones of her best friend's voice instead.

James sighed happily, running his hands through Jessie's impeccable lengths of crimson hair and breathing in the strong fragrance of the shampoo she could only keep in the apartment. It smelled like a vast field of wild flowers and he closed his eyes, losing himself for the moment in blissful reverie. "Hey guys, yer movie's startin' and da popcorn's getting' cold!" Meowth announced suddenly, and both Jessie and James awoke to two steaming mugs of tea and Meowth's tail dashing out the door with a slight scent of butter following it. They blinked rapidly in confusion, turned to each other, shrugged in synchronization, and made their way to the living room just as the opening credits began to roll onto the screen.

The only light in the room came from the television set in front of the shabby and ancient couch, and the dim yellow light of the kitchen, but a tacit agreement was made between the three friends to leave them off as Jessie and James settled into the cushions. The movie began, and James reached for Jessie's hair once more. "Ya know, dat Fred Savage kid always annoyed me," Meowth muttered through a mouthful of popcorn. "Don't hog that, and me too," Jessie muttered shoving a fistful of the white, fluffy, bits into her mouth.

She felt James' hands run through her hair again, and it became his obvious intention to fiddle with it further. Jessie smiled at the affectionate gesture, and slid to the floor in front of her friend, her heart warming at his small squeal of delight. Meowth rolled his eyes, and went back to Florin where the Princess Buttercup had just been abducted by a weird little guy who wouldn't quit exclaiming "Inconceivable!" which the cat found quite irritating.

The evening progressed with pleasant conversation, tea, popcorn, and raucous, hearty laughter from all three, each taking pleasure in being able to spend the evening carefree. James had braided and styled Jessie's hair so many ways, she'd simply stopped counting, but it pleased her to see how much her blue-haired friend enjoyed it. He had eventually left it alone when she had insisted upon crawling into his lap, resting her head against his chest and letting his soft rhythmic breathing and heartbeat soothe her even more than the shower had. There was something about being close to James that made Jessie feel good inside, simply because she was near him, and for seemingly no other reason, but when he put his arms about her waist, it all became clear.

Jessie looked down to ensure Meowth had fallen asleep coiled protectively about himself and nuzzled close to James' leg, and smiled, looking up and touching James' chin with the bridge of her nose affectionately. "Well that was sickeningly cute," he commented good-naturedly. "Yes I know, and especially in the light of Wesley threatening Humperdink with To the Pain'," Jessie answered with a smirk, turning back to the television screen. James snickered quietly and held his friend closer, closing his eyes happily as she returned his embrace. "I hate what this job does to you Jessie," he breathed into her ear, "I hate what it does to us." "So do I James, but we'll pull through, we're Jessie, James, and Meowth! Best friends forever, right?" she assured him, pulling away slightly.

James didn't respond, but merely smiled in acknowledgment as he leaned closer to Jessie, gently brushing a strand of glossy crimson hair across her cheek behind her ear, heart pounding as she leaned toward him. "Forever," he promised, gently shutting his eyes as he felt Jessie's lips gently brush his own. He responded to her, hardly daring to breathe as he pressed his lips fully against hers, reveling in their soft reply and the feeling of finally receiving a kiss from the ruby lips he had longed for. It deepened as Jessie fell back into James' arms, gently lying back onto the couch with his beloved next to him, tears of joy stinging at both of their eyes. "I love you," Jessie breathed. "I love you too," James answered quietly, kissing her softly once more before she finally allowed the weariness to claim her.

Jessie smiled broadly, knowing she had found the one man she was meant to love, and snuggled as close as she possibly could against him, her head against his chest. "I love you, James," she whispered again, simply to hear the words from her mouth. "I love you too, Jess, I love you too," her grin widened hearing the response she wanted, and Jessie closed her eyes for the last time that night. James sighed happily once more, and let himself drift to sleep as he felt Jessie's form go still in his arms, murmuring his name in her sleep and finally closing his eyes to the final words of the movie. Something about a kiss so passionate, so pure, it left all others behind. Perhaps, he thought, they really spoke of the kiss he had shared with his best friend, and the only woman he knew he could ever love so much, and James fell asleep for the first time in weeks, with a smile on his lips.

@---

"Have the preparations been completed Deirdre? I must have test subject beta in the morning!" Giovanni snapped into the phone. There was an awkward silence, and the voice that followed was sullen and choked with tears. "Y-yes sir Just like before, it's perfect," Deirdre breathed. "Good, now, make sure the serum is ready, I want to start immediately," Giovanni purred, stroking the beige cat in his lap. "Which shall we try first? We have them all ready," the girl answered emotionlessly. "I'll decide once I get to know the boy, now go get some sleep, you sound terrible!" he said, the Persian mirroring his sadistic grin. "Thank you sir, goodnight," Deirdre said and hastily hung up the phone.

Giovanni tapped the ash of his cigar into an elaborate glass tray, chuckling silently to himself as he too placed the receiver gently back onto the hook. "Sweet girl, but a bit on the squeamish side," he muttered rubbing his weary temples. The Persian growled in disgust, growing tired of the lap and bounded off, landing perfectly into its crimson lined basket as its master turned wistfully to a picture of a blue-haired young man on his computer screen. He reached up and touched his cheek lovingly, smiling upon him as if he were his own son, and even the Pokemon knew Giovanni had sired no children, so it shrunk in fear of the odd and mildly disturbing gesture. "You are perfect," he said to the photo, "my plan is perfect, everything is perfect everything will go right this time, and I will govern the ultimate weapon, even if it kills a hundred people to get it! Mewtwo was a pathetic first attempt, but now I know what I'm dealing with, and I won't make any mistakes again."

So what does Giovanni have in store for his little "test subject beta?" find out next time in "Twilight Always Falls" part 3


	3. Part 3

Author's Note: Ee! I'm happy! This fic is going over well! ^_^ Thanks guys! I'll be sure and finish it now! I have two more parts written, this being one of them, and so I'll hold off on part 4 for a while, so enjoy this one and look for more later! ^_^ Thanks again guys!

Twilight Always Falls

Part 3

James awoke with a start, and as his senses slowly began to function again, the terror of the dream he had been having vanished without a trace as he felt Jessie still in his arms. He softened, and closed his eyes again as he buried his face into her sweetly scented and still loose crimson locks. "Jessie, my Jessie, I'll love you till the day I die," he whispered nuzzling her nose with his affectionately. She didn't stir, and not wanting to awaken her, James kissed her forehead lovingly and slipped from her arms, yawning quietly as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Mornin' Jimmy!" Meowth called brightly over the top of the morning newspaper. "Hey pal! Did you check to see if have anything for breakfast?" James answered, a smug grin creeping onto his face. "Yup, and we gots nuthin'," came the response, and James' grin only widened, knowing absolutely nothing could ruin his exuberant mood, "and ya gots a message from da boss while ya was cuddling wid Jess on da couch!" James winced, perhaps one thing could, but he was sure it was nothing major and he would be feeling the same overjoyed and amorous mood he had been after it was over. "Really? What did he- Wait you saw us?!" he cried, nearly falling over with the sudden realization.

Meowth chortled and patted James, who had slumped onto the floor next him, affectionately on the head, setting the paper down. "Don't worry James, I hoid what youse two was sayin' last night, I-I hoid youse two say you love each odda, and you didn't see, but I was cryin'. Dey were tears of happiness fer you, you desoirve each odda, really! I tink it's beautiful!" he assured him, his smile widening as he witnessed tears of joy spring to James' emerald eyes. "Thank you Meowth," he whispered embracing the cat tightly, "that means worlds to me." "Heh, I know," Meowth answered.

James pulled away and discretely wiped his eyes, standing as he looked longingly toward the living room. "I'll never love anyone but her Meowth, nothing will ever keep up apart," he whispered dreamily. "Well duh, Jessie an' James is a package deal! Don't get one witout da odda! And Meowth will always be wid ya too!" he added picking the newspaper back up, and smiled to see that James had crouched in front of Jessie's sleeping form. He held a blood red rose in his hand, gently tracing it over her perfect features and Meowth's heart warmed as he bent down and kissed her softly on the lips. "Poifect, absolutely poifect," he breathed, and returned to the land of the Team Rocket Gazette.

"Jessie," James called softly, and in a melodious tone. She stirred under the gentle embrace of the rose petals and slowly opened her glittering azure eyes, a spark of confusion behind them. James put it to rest as he kissed her lips tenderly, and ran a hand through her hair lovingly. "Morning, beautiful," he breathed, touching the end of his nose to hers. "So I didn't dream it, I really did tell you how I really feel," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "You did, and so did I, I've loved you for forever Jessie," James said pressing the rose into her palm. "James, I know for certain, you're the only person I've ever truly loved, and the only person I will ever love in my life," she answered cupping his chin in her hand to bring his lips to hers. They kissed softly and slowly, almost reverently, each wishing it would never end, each knowing it eventually would, but it was the beginning of an eternity.

James finally broke the kiss, looking balefully into his beloved's eyes as he remembered Giovanni had requested his presence. "Look Jess, I got a call from the boss this morning, he probably just wants to discuss any injuries, or-or something, but I'll be back in no time, okay?" he promised, caressing her cheek. "Okay James, but hurry back," she replied, mimicking his affectionate act. "I will," he assured her and stood, walking quietly to the bedroom to change into a clean uniform. Jessie sighed joyfully, closing her eyes again as she shifted onto her back into the soft cushions of the couch. "Finally, after all those years, my James loves me back, and I know I can trust him to always love me, and never leave me," she thought to herself, losing herself in a blissful dream of walking down an aisle in a flowing white gown to meet a beautiful and smiling James at the altar.

Jessie didn't know how long she had been lost in her thoughts, but she was awakened as she heard the bedroom door open, and James step out in a clean uniform. "Well, I'd best get going, anything I can pick you up for breakfast?" he asked brightly, picking up the keys to the jeep they shared. "Nah, just make some of your French toast when you get back, and what are you doing with the keys?" she inquired. "Just in case he needs me to go pick something up for him, an errand, he loves doing that to us you know," he muttered distastefully. "Yeah, I know, sometimes I think that's the only reason he keeps us around," Jessie replied, recalling the numerous times she, James, Meowth, or all three of them had been scared out of their wits by being called down to retrieve his laundry or some other random task.

James sighed, running a hand through his freshly combed blue tresses and opened the door, hesitating to leave slightly, a feeling of foreboding sweeping over him. "Jessie?" he called, turning back. "Hmm?" she replied gently, propping herself up on the arm of the faded blue couch. "I love you," James said, smiling. "I love you too," Jessie responded, leaping from her spot and wrapping her arms about his neck to give him one last kiss before he left. Nothing more was said as James quietly slipped from Jessie's embrace, and he ran his hand along her cheek adoringly before heading out into the hall. Jessie watched her beloved until he boarded the elevator, the last image of his emerald eyes, for the first time in what seemed like forever glittering with true happiness behind them imprinting on her mind with a pleasant thought.

The gray metal closed on his image the car dinged at its descent, and Jessie sighed in disappointment when she witnessed the lights of lower floors illuminate. She resigned to less time with James that day and slipped back inside, joining Meowth at the kitchen table for a pleasant morning conversation before she inevitably fell asleep on the couch waiting for James' return.

"You look chipper today James." The blue-haired rocket looked up to a familiar face, a young violet haired co-worker who was employed in the scientific research faculty. "You have no idea," he answered dreamily. "Heh, you look like you got laid last night," she joked with a hearty chuckle. James couldn't help but laugh with her, leaning casually against the mirrored interior of the elevator, shoving his hands along with the keys into his pockets. "Nope," he replied closing his eyes, "but I did tell the one woman I know I'm meant to be with how I really feel about her." The Rocket's eyes widened, blanching as the full effect of his words permeated her psyche. "Y-You mean you-" she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

The elevator slid to a jarring halt, and James straightened his statue, standing in front of the doors as they slid open. "I told Jessie I love her, and she loves me back, but anyway, I've gotta get going, the boss wants me for some reason," he began stepping out and into the red carpeted hallway. "I-I hope it all turns out well," the woman replied, the elevator doors beginning to shut. "I know it will, have a nice day Deirdre!" James called, and turned over his shoulder, leaving a still pale and trembling young scientist as they shut completely, taking her past the floor she had chosen before.

James walked briskly past the secretary's window, waving to her with a cheerful smile on his face as he continued down the ominous hallway. He slid carefully into the office to find it silent as usual, but unusually dark, the only light spilling grotesquely over his employer's face from his computer screen. It deepened the creases in his aging skin, and shadowed the steadily deepening and sickly looking eye sockets of the tyrannical man, and James drew back in fear as he seemed to sense his presence and turned over his shoulder to look at him.

He said nothing at first, his skeletal frame shuddering with fatigue and obvious lack of sleep, a sly and demonic smile creeping onto his colorless lips as he spotted James in his office. "James LeBlanc, I'm surprised you showed up!" he called with far too much enthusiasm for someone looking as sickly as he did. James swallowed hard, and took a tiny step forward, depleting all the courage he could muster. "Meowth said you wanted to speak to me?" he ventured timidly. "Indeed I did, I have an errand for you, and I hope you don't mind a bit of driving?" Giovanni asked briskly. "No sir, not at all," James replied hastily, knowing his boss had not expected any other answer. "Good boy, now I want you to go to this address, and follow the instructions in this envelope," Giovanni started, handing James the objects in question, "be sure to destroy all of this evidence after you get back, and bring what you receive straight to my office, understand?" James nodded dumbly, and pocketed the black paper sealed with red wax, bowing respectfully as he eased out of the door. "Whatever it is will be brought to you unharmed, I assure you sir, and I'll be back as soon as I can," he said, and the double doors slammed shut, leaving a smirking Giovanni alone with his computer, flinching as the error alert tone sounded.

He ignored it and stifled a chuckle, the irony of James' last statement humorous in his mind. "Perfect, it's all perfect, and I know for a fact my cargo will be delivered unharmed," he whispered turning to the computer. "Alert: specimen status does not meet previously determined standards, possible and likely chance of death after phase three of experiment, 90% chance of death after phase four, and calculations indicate a 100% certainty of death if phase 5 or above is performed. Suggestion is to locate another specimen before proceeding," was all it said. "Bullshit!" Giovanni roared, slamming his fist down on the keyboard. It bleeped in protest, and the screen flushed black, the computer sounding as if it were deflating as it shut down completely. "He'll make it I know it, the Twilight Project will be successful this time! Fuck what that damned machine says! It can't predict the outcome of my experiment, it will work this time it will succeed, I will succeed, my ultimate weapon will be a reality." The room was utterly silent, even through the peals of hollow and insane laughter that were audible only to a man lost in his own world and mind.

James started the Jeep with a loud sigh, having read the address in his instructions and recognizing the place, which was a good hour's drive. "Damn it, I'm beginning to think last night was a bad night for a sincere confession of love," he muttered, turning over his shoulder to back out of the parking lot, "well, it's not my fault the boss picked today to torture me, and now Jess and I have the rest of our lives together." He flipped on the radio absent-mindedly, her sweet rendition of the classic line of confession still ringing in his ears as he started along the street he knew would take him to the small building he had been instructed to visit.

The hours crept by at a Slowpoke's pace, each love song they aired from the radio station worded slightly differently, but conveying the same message wafted their incoherently soft tones to James' nearly deaf ears. He had been driving along the same highway for the past forty-five minutes, and barely noticed the words from an old song drifting from his lips. They came to a refrain he didn't know, and replaced the melodious words with the rim of an aluminum soda can, letting the cold liquid slide down his parched throat gratefully. _"I'll wait the signs to come. I'll find a way- I will wait the time to come. I'll find a way home. My light shall be the moon, and my path - the ocean. My guide the morning star as I sail home to you,"_ he sang the soft words reverently, the gentle and somber music lulling him into a blissful reverie, "_Who then can warm my soul? Who can quell my passion? Out of these dreams - a boat. I will sail home to you."_

James relaxed into the ancient and worn seat, remembering the time he had almost been caught in the clutches of his vile fiance, but had managed to escape, right back into the arms of the woman he truly loved, the song inspiring the memories. "I know you're afraid of abandonment Jess, but nothing will ever make me leave you, no matter what it takes, I'll always find a way home," he thought to himself, easing onto the brake as he approached a red light.

It remained red, and James stopped the car completely, taking his hands off the wheel, and placing them behind his head to gaze wistfully at the sky. No one was in sight, so he figured he could afford to just sit and think for a moment, and in his distanced, romantic frame of mind, he never saw the light revert to green. He sighed, picking out a cloud in the sky that oddly resembled and symbolized the elusive Pikachu, and raised his hand to mockingly capture it. "Gotcha Pikachu!" he laughed, "now Jessie, Meowth and I can quit this job, and get married and raise a family, now we can be happy."

James sighed wistfully and gripped the leather-covered wheel again, noting that the light was green again, and had been for quite some time, as it quickly flashed to yellow. Not wanting to tempt the law should there be one of the many Jennies in the area by running a red light, as he was in his quite conspicuous uniform, he quickly put his foot on the gas, rocketing into the intersection.

Time seemed to melt away into nothingness as he first spotted the jet-black sedan, glistening ominously along the hood to an indiscernible hood ornament as it sped toward the ancient and shabby jeep. James gasped in terror and gripped the wheel as his stomach twisted violently in anticipation of the inevitable, the last sounds in his rushing ears the blare of a horn from the driver of the car going the opposite way on his now green light, and the screech of his useless brakes as he pressed them to the floor with his foot. The jeep did not comply to his wishes, and the blue-haired young man barely felt the scream of terror and agony exit his lips as the smaller vehicle plowed into the side of the flimsy jeep, completely annihilating the metal side of it with a cataclysmic explosion of twisted metal and broken glass. Closing his eyes as the first white-hot blades of pain tore through his body and soul, James no longer cared if he was screaming or not, all he knew was the utter cacophony of the sound of tearing metal so intense it blended into silence as the jeep buckled under the impact, folding in on itself and taking him with it as it rolled over to quietly die.

The sound and silence and pain finally ceased, and James found himself pleasantly at ease as he felt the hot, viscid trickle of blood down the side of his face. He didn't dare move, though he knew that he couldn't, even if he had tried with all his heart a soul, which burned with regret and loss, and of the promise he had just made and just broken. He let his eyes drop with fatigue as the car finally came to a halt from it's skid, closing them when he finally felt his body remain still. _"I'm sorry Jessie_," he whispered as the blackness closed in on his already black vision, _"I'm sorry I failed you, and I'll always love you, and watch over you. Please have the strength to move on."_

James knew no more in the rising light of the afternoon, letting his head fall to his battered and bloody chest as his entire world's light finally went out, exhaling one last time quietly and peacefully. A gentle wind blew through the shattered windows of the jeep to find the radio still playing, a lament of a lost love wafting into the deathly silence left in the wake of a raging inferno of a tragedy. It gently tossed the glossy blue hair of the lifeless form, caressing it across his bloody cheek to stick there, and tracing a delicate pattern of crimson across the white uniform, blending with the blood red insignia already there. It traced one last time over the gently shut eyes that would open no more to gaze into his beloved's, no more to focus intently on an activity of choice at home, never again to hold the friends he cherished in them again, and blew mournfully over the barren cityscape to bring news of tragedy to the world.

__

Ring Ring Ring- Ring Ring Ring- Phone call Phone call! Ring Ring Ring- Ring Ring Ring- Phone call Phone call! The squall of the phone was barely audible in Jessie's ears as she awoke to its harsh tones_. Ring Ring Ring- Ring Ring Ring- Phone call Phone call!_ She winced as it sounded again, and propped herself up slightly to search with groggy eyes for anyone but her to answer it. "Mmm, Meowth, will you get that?" she called, hoping it was James, calling to say he'd be home soon. She looked up to the clock hanging above their still operating television set and noted it was far past noon, and her friend had not yet returned. _Ring Ring Ring- Ring Ring Ring- Phone call Phone call!_ "God that thing is irritating Meowth?!" she yelled, frowning as no answer again came to her cries. _Ring Ring Ring- Ring Ring Ring- Phone call Phone call! _"Damn cat," she muttered, slipping groggily from the couch and to the vid-link phone on the wall in the apartment.

She yawned broadly and leaned against the wall casually as she picked up the receiver, twirling her finger into the cord when it fell loose. "Hello?" she asked brightly. No answer came to her cheerful response save for a choked sounding breathing on the other line, interrupted by a small gasp, obviously laced with tears. "Hello? Who is this?" she repeated, standing straight up as she felt her stomach turn. "Jessie? T-There's been an accident, and it involves your partner," Giovanni's somber voice finally rang through the line with a deathly clarity. Jessie went numb, forced to hold onto the counter by the phone to prevent her now useless knees from buckling and sending her to the floor. "W-what? What happened? Is James okay? Where is he?" she rattled, desperate for more information on the condition of the man she loved. "H-heJessie, please come down to my office, I'll explain there, Meowth is here with me, please come quickly," he answered, and before she could protest, Jessie heard the line hang up. 

She too, hung the glossy black appliance back on its unit, and covered her mouth with her hands as she slowly sunk to the floor. "No, no James is fine! He's okay, whatever it is it's not bad, he's just a little scraped up, nothing serious! He'll come home into my arms tonight, I'll settle into bed with him, and kiss him and tell him how much I love him, it'll be fine," she assured herself and stood, not even bothering to put anything on her feet or change out of her nightgown. She bolted for the door, and barely felt herself run down the hall to the elevator, tears streaming unfelt down her pale cheeks as time seemed to speed past with sickening velocity.

Jessie found herself quite unexpectedly in the reception area of Giovanni's office, breathing heavily as she searched for any sign of his whereabouts. "Where is he?" she demanded, casting a hateful glare to the startled secretary. "He- well, is he expecting you?" she answered sheepishly. "Jessie! Oh Jess! Jess it's awful! It's so awful!" Jessie's attention was turned from the young woman by the cries of her Pokemon friend and as he rushed from an unseen location into her arms, she stooped to receive him. "Oh Jessie I saw da jeep! He was in a car accident, and da jeep is totaled! Dere's blood everywhere, Jess, it's so twisted up! It's like sumthin' ya see on da news! James! Oh, James! Jimmy, please be okay! Please make it," he sobbed into her shoulder.

Jessie too, burst into tears at hearing the small anecdote of what had happened to their friend, holding him close and stroking the back of his head in a futile attempt to calm him. "Shh, Meowth, James'll pull through, he's a fighter, I know he'll be okay," she assured both the cat and herself. "Jessie I saw dem bring him in ta da hospital, he was soMangled, he didn't even look alive. But den I saw him open da only eye he could, and he saw me, and-and he smiled at me, like he knew he wasn't gonna see me again! Like he was tryin' ta make up fer all da stuff we'd ever fought about, and remind me dat he'd always be our best friend, no matter what happened after he got in dere, Jess I don't tink he's gonna" Meowth trailed off quietly, Jessie's tears falling harder as his voice grew more sincere and less hysterical. "No, no, he'll be fine, I know he'll-" her sentence was interrupted by a sharp gasp of utter terror.

Meowth turned in her arms to look in the same direction as his human companion, and his jaw dropped at the sight of a somber, and exhausted looking Giovanni standing ominously in the entrance of the hallway that led to his office. He held something in his arms, and the instant Meowth was able to view accurately what it was, his limbs and body weakened in fear and he found he was quite unable to move. "NO! NO!" was his only utterance, bolting with a fury for the door. "Meowth, wait!" Jessie called, leaping to her feet to give chase, but a firm hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Jessie, oh Jessica, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," came the soft words of her employer.

Jessie couldn't feel a thing, not her body, not even her emotions, as she turned back around to face him, holding out her arms to accept the bundle he offered in his own outstretched arms. Just as she had expected, it was the Team Rocket flag, the red R' insignia emblazoned on a pure ebony background, wrapped around a neatly folded uniform; their personal show of respect, and mourning. Respect and mourning for the dead. "No, no it's not true," she breathed, her knees involuntarily buckling beneath her. "I'm sorry, but please bear with me as I give you the facts," he started, pulling a clipboard from the secretary's desk, "this morning I sent your partner, James LeBlanc, on a small errand for me, and he left in the jeep registered to both of you at roughly 10:30 this morning. He was driving along a highway in a rural area of Saffron, and stopped at a red light. Apparently he missed the green, according to the other driver, and thinking he would see the light was red again and stay put, he continued through. Unfortunately James noticed a bit too late, and- and the other car hit the side of his jeep going over the regulatory speed limit of fifty-five miles per hour at sixty-five. His car hit the jeep dead on, and I'm sorry to say, but it was a flimsy model to begin with, and an old one, and it-it just didn't stand a chance against the other. The driver was unharmed, and called us, as he is an employee here as well, and we rushed James here a soon as we could. He spent a good two hours in our intensive care, but I regret to inform you that James passed away on the operating table at about 2:04 this afternoon. He suffered serious internal injuries, internal bleeding, and severe hemorrhaging, which was eventually what failed him. We tried to stop it, but the damage was far too extensive, we didn't get him back in time, and he'd lost too much blood before we could help, but I hope it will help ease some of the blow to know he wasn't in much pain, and he died quietly."

There was an awkward silence as the full impact of Giovanni's words struck Jessie's psyche with their devastating poisons and toxins, taking root there for what she knew would be an eternity spent without her best friend, and the man she loved. She could feel the tears flowing down her face, but inside, she felt numb, and empty, as if she had been drained of her very essence, repeating the phrase over again in her mind, something about it very wrong, and horrifically out of place. _"James passed awayJames, passed away, James, is dead. James, my James, is gone forever"_ "There's something else, in the bundle with his uniform, it's something that belonged to him, and in his bouts of consciousness, it was obvious he wanted you to have it," Giovanni said, motioning to the flag Jessie held tightly in her arms.

The disconsolate young woman nodded numbly, and felt her world screech to a miserable halt, not even feeling herself sit heavily into one of the worn chairs in the lobby, dimly aware that she was now alone, and didn't hear Meowth return to join her. Jessie's attention was now fully turned to the black death shroud in her arms, and gently unfolded the flaps with cold fingers as Meowth took the seat next to her to watch. She let an anguished gasp escape her lips as the first objects in the layers of possessions were James' black gloves, and as Jessie gently lifted them, she could almost still feel his familiar warmth inside of them. "Oh James, IOh god," she moaned, crumpling the black fabric against her chest.

Meowth was silent; accepting the garments as his friend handed them to him with a fresh onset of tears, and coiling his tail about his legs in a meager attempt to console himself. Jessie, deciding to spare herself the agony of pulling James' white jacket from the bundle, went straight to the bottom, wondering what James had with him that he would want her to have so badly. She soon found her answer, for as she lifted the last memory of James out of the flag, the final item that remained glinted sorrowfully at her from the black depths, a golden beacon of hope. 

Jessie allowed herself to cry harder as she lifted the object from her lap, and clasped her hand sharply over her mouth at the sight of a tiny, golden charm hanging daintily from a thin gold chain. It was a heart shaped pendant encrusted with a delicate design of rubies and emeralds, and as Jessie strained her eyes further, she realized they formed a tiny, but delicate rose. She realized then why James had wanted her to have it, and smiled vaguely, but it quickly shifted to a frown with noticing a small imperfection in the gold at the side.

Jessie shifted into a position with more light to inspect it more carefully and cocked her head to one side with the clarification of it not being a flaw, but a tiny clasp. She slid her nail underneath it and gently pried it up, the, what Jessie now knew was a locket, opening with a satisfying click. Inside the two halves were a pair of neatly cropped photos; one of James alone, a sort of portrait, and he was smiling broadly, two fingers up in the air as a victory sign. Jessie smiled vaguely at it, and touched it with her finger gently, noticing a small stain of red near the corner where James' blood had seeped under the glass covering the photograph. She was almost comforted by the small mark of life on the image, feeling as if she would forever hold a piece of her beloved James close to her heart, the same blood that had pumped through his.

She removed her hand carefully from the first picture, and looked willingly to the next, a picture of them together, and a rather candid one at that. They were nestled into each other's arms, obviously asleep and in one sleeping bag, somewhere out in the woods. Jessie didn't bother to wipe the tears from her cheeks as she stared at their content and joyous expressions, obviously drawn simply from being close to each other, but her stomach twisted as she noticed something else; James wasn't asleep. A sob escaped her throat as she realized that though she was soundly in the realm of dreams, James was holding her close, and pressing his lips gently to hers in a gentle, and subtle kiss, but there was no mistaking the obvious love and respect behind it. "I took dat." Jessie looked up as she finally heard the cat Pokemon speak. "W-Wha-" she started, but was interrupted. "He loved ya a long time Jess, I noticed it from square one. He loved you da day he saw ya, and since I'm awake at night a lot, and I'd hear him talk ta ya. I figured he'd want it, maybe as inspiration, ta help him gather da courage ta finally tell you," he said quietly as Jessie closed the locket.

She closed her eyes as well, and pressed the locket to her chest as her silent tears ascended to sobbing, burying her face into her hands with the wracking of her body. "I loved him all that time too Meowth! God damn it why was I so afraid to tell him? Why did I wait so long to yell him how I really fel-" she stopped abruptly, and looked to the cat with sorrow and guilt behind her dull and glazed sapphire eyes, "this is all my fault. Why didn't I realize sooner?! It's my fault! I killed him Meowth! I killed him!"

Meowth leapt into Jessie's lap as her hysterical scream of anguish and a crushed soul echoed throughout the office, shaking her shoulders gently to calm her. "No! Jess get ahold a yerself!" he cried, slapping her across the face as her sobbing reached a hideous crescendo. She collapsed into her lap at this, holding the cat to her body for comfort. "Ya didn't kill him Jess,, it was an accident, no one coulda known what would happen," he soothed, stroking back her crimson mane affectionately. "But I loved him, and it never fails, when I love them, I lose them. I loved James more than anything else in the world, and-and now I'll never- I'll never see him again. I still can't believe he's gone!" she sobbed. "Jessie, dat's not true, ya love yer Arbok! And she's been around since ya was a kid! And she'll be around fer a lot longa den dat, Likitung too! And you love Meowth right?" Meowth asked quietly, the unmistakable hoarseness of tears apparent in his voice. "Of course I do Meowth, I love you and Arbok and Likitung so much, you're the only ones I have left," Jessie replied tearfully, but finally managing to sit up again.

Meowth managed a still sorrowful smile, but it gave his friend some consolation to know that he was still with her. "Meowth is gonna be wid ya foreva, and ya can count on it! Plus," he began, holding up the locket so it glimmered lovingly in the low lamplight, "James'll always be wid you, and I'm sure he's watchin' ova us from his spot in heaven, and he always will, and he'll always love you Jess. I know it hoits bad, I've neva felt dis way before. I-I feel like a part of me's missin' and-and I know it'll neva be da same, but as long as we stick togedda, we'll be togedda again in da end, we just gotta pull through Jess. James woulda wanted us ta survive, he woulda wanted us ta be strong."

Jessie smiled vaguely as the cat burst into fresh tears, as well as herself, but it quickly faded as she again held the locket in her tearful vision. "It hurts so bad, I think it hurts physically," she muttered, "my life my be empty, but you're right, and I already know our first course of action." Jessie set her face into a stern line of sorrow as she stood, gently clasping James' locket about her neck, silently vowing never to take it off, and kissing it softly before gathering the rest of his uniform into her arms gently. "Jess, what on earth-" Meowth started, Jessie finishing for him. "Consider James' funeral the last Team Rocket function of our lives. Once he's been laid to rest, we're running away, that's what he would have wanted too, he always hated what this job made me, and now I know what he meant, and it's killed my best friend and the man I love. I don't know what we'll do after, but whatever it is, we'll do it for him," she answered firmly, and ushered the cat out of the door. "For James," he repeated, watching his tears hit the ancient red carpet of the hallway as he dashed toward the elevator with his friend. "For James," Jessie echoed and the duo made their way to their apartment.

The rest of the day was spent coiled on the couch and sobbing, nearly everything reminding them in a painful way of their deceased friend, a friendly, everyday way that would forever be absent from their now shattered lives and souls. Jessie was suddenly struck with the grim realization that she would no longer feel James' tender embrace, or taste his sweet lips on hers again, nor would he grace her life with the same charm, wit, and childlike enthusiasm he had before. She found in one swift, omnipotent blow the utter grief of his sudden death, and everything he had been to her, suddenly gone, and all she could bring herself to do that day way cry.

Jessie could almost feel her soul and spirit shatter in her hands, along with her already mutilated heart, knowing the other half of each was now gone from her life forever. She could hardly bring herself to pack away even her own possessions, as everything reminded her of James in the most painful way it could. She could still see him in his favorite pair of boxer shorts and a rumpled shirt at the stove in the morning, tossing the pancakes into the air with artful dexterity and precision. Occasionally he'd scrape together the ingredients for her favorite, French toast, and he'd always make sure she got the first and best piece, drenched with syrup and a light dusting of powdered sugar. She could still taste it, still hear the light conversation, and even the way he would always turn over his shoulder, blue tresses still hanging tangled and in his face and call her twice shortened nickname cheerfully, always accompanied by a sweet grin as he turned back to breakfast. _"Morning Jess!"_ were always the first words she heard in the morning.

Jessie was also painfully aware of the absence of his mere presence, the air that seemed to follow him always cheerful and enthusiastic, and it had given Jessie all the happiness in the world to simply be around James. She knew now he was truly gone forever, for the feeling was gone as well, the warm close and loved sensation she had felt for most of her life in the presence of her best friend was gone in an instant, never to return again.

Jessie mulled through her thoughts as she stared bitterly out the window of the apartment with clouded and sorrowful sapphire eyes, the soft whisper of the rain on the glass panes just inches in front of her little consolation. She sighed deeply, and wiped the nearly perpetual tears from her pale cheeks, her hand slowly and involuntarily moving to the locket she still wore around her neck. The metal was warm with her own body heat, and Jessie was forced to look upwards to the stars as she imagined that it must have felt this way after James had worn it. "I miss you so much James, why did you leave me? I thought I could trust my heart to you, and you wouldn't be like the others, I thought I could love you. James, it hurts, and-and this time you're not here to make it go away! I'll never love anyone else, and I know you still love me, wherever you are, and I still love you too, and I always will," she whispered to the sovereigns of the night sky, "and I'm going to live like you would have wanted, I'm getting out James! I'm escaping, and I'm doing it for you, and now, when I can join you, and my momma, I can say I lived a good life, but it will always be empty without you. I'll love you forever James, and a passion as strongly as I feel for you, will never die. Goodbye James, my best friend, my soul mate."

Jessie closed her eyes at last, exhausted from crying, and fell asleep, one hand securely wrapped about the handle of the tightly packed suitcase at her feet, the other tightly clenching the rose encrusted locket she wore about her neck. Meowth eventually joined her to keep a silent and watchful vigil over her, unable to sleep, and dreading the dismal and painful event that was to occur the next day, and making a resolution for himself; never again would he speak English to anyone but Jessie. It had been something special between him, and the two people he cherished most in the world, and they had been the only ones who truly appreciated his unusual ability and loved him all the more for it, treating him like one of their own instead of a Pokemon. The faithful feline slept not two minutes that night, and when morning finally dawned, he awakened his slumbering friend reluctantly, and they prepared silently for the day's tasks at hand.

James' funeral was held that dismal day in the midst of sorrow and gray, accompanied by a sporadic rain Jessie swore grew worse as her mood did. She sat in the back row, as far as she could possibly get from the ominous black sheen of the casket, the only decoration on it an enameled crimson R, and elaborate silvers handles along the sides. She refused to speak or be spoken to, not caring about anyone associated with the organization that had murdered her best friend, and as soon as the brief service was over, she made her way to the final resting place of the man she had treasured for almost half her life.

She made no attempt to hide her tears as she ran a hand down the slick black surface to the ornate bouquet of white lilies atop it and scowled at them. "Well James, I was positive they'd pull some shit like this, so I-I brought a little something extra for you," she whispered, and drew a single, tiny, but very perfect and very red rose from the folds of the coat she wore to conceal her attire. She gently eased the stem into the ribbon along with the snow of the lilies, and stepped back to admire it. It shone like a beacon in a bleak and impassable maze, a drop of blood on perfect snow, another wound to a scarred and lacerated soul. Jessie was forced to look away, cupping her hands over her mouth as the full meaning of what she had just done struck her, and her tears began anew. "How can I live like this? For god's sake I just put my best friend's favorite flower on hisOh lord" she whispered to herself as her eyes met with the simple, standard Team Rocket headstone. It read simply, "In loving Memory, James LeBlanc."

Jessie stifled a sob, and turned back to the casket, breathing heavily as she put her hand atop its cold and indifferent black surface. "Until we meet again, I promise I'll come back here, I'll never leave you James, ever. Please stay with me, guide me as I try to make an escape. Protect me, and Meowth, and all the Pokemon, help us achieve what you so desperately wanted, and what I know you would want for me. I want it too, Team Rocket has hurt me, and you, for the last time. I love you James, I always will, and I promise I'll always wait for you. Now's the time for Meowth and I to leave, but I'll never forget you, and you'll never die in my heart. Goodbye my friend, and rest in peace."

These were Jessie's final words, spoken reverently and in a soft, tearful voice before Meowth tugged at the hem of her coat, nudging the bulging suitcase in her direction. No communication passed between the duo as Jessie slowly curled her fingers about the cold and rain dampened handle of the luggage discretely, and proceeded away from the small graveyard selected by Giovanni for James' burial.

A sorrowful wind whistled through the trees along the path two lost and broken souls wandered, carrying the stinging drops of a spiteful rain along with it. A few foreign drops were introduced to the natural tears of the sky, and they were set apart, forced to the ground more quickly, and still warm from the cheeks they had been born upon. The tears were then lost in the general sea of indiscernible water, just as their owners disappeared into the sea of people, to lose themselves, to forget. They could almost feel a pair of emeralds watching over them from the gray cloud of morose that covered their worlds, and though they could sense the warmth and familiar benevolence and love they possessed, it seemed barely out of reach, never to be obtainable again. A piece of themselves had been scattered to the wind, and Jessie didn't even look back upon the Team Rocket building as twilight fell, and pressed onward, finally knowing both she and Meowth were utterly alone.

To be continued


	4. Part 4

Twilight Always Falls

Part 4

Light. Then pain, and the light intensified. 

A blinding white light that seemed to dance seductively, but just barely out of reach as it attempted to saturate the soul within it completely, soaking into the being to make it one. _"Am I dead?"_ Movement, and the light wavered, splitting into two barely discernible black shapes. _"Where am I? What happened?"_ "I think he's coming around sir." An angelic voice. "Good, as soon as he's strong enough for phase one of Twilight, do so immediately, don't even contact me, just do it and contact me afterwards, got it?" And the contrasting voice of the devil himself. "I-I get it sir." "Right, stay with him, and take care of him, though the accident was staged, he's still injured." The man recognized the two voices, and the accident they spoke of, but he had thought it was a true accident, why had it been a fake? _"B-But Jessie, what about her?"_ he thought to himself.

"What about his friend?" He managed a small nod and shut his eyes again tightly as the light became so intense it burned. "Who? Jessie? She believes he's dead, just as the other, she is no longer of my concern, for all I know she's slashed her wrists or jumped off a cliff, I don't really care, but I've got a gym challenge now, I'll be back to check later. Take good care of my new project Deirdre." "Yes, Giovanni, sir, and good luck."

James felt the tears sting the corners of his eyes, never even hearing Giovanni leave the room as a small groan of remorse escaped his throat, and he was able to utter a single, weakly spoken word, "Jessie." "Shhh, don't strain yourself," Deirdre's soft voice whispered, and James opened his eyes again. He struggled to keep them open under the soft florescent lights he recognized from the Team Rocket labs, and frowned at the young lavender haired rocket clad in a tight, form fitting lab coat. "Deirdre," he muttered distastefully, his handsome features twisting in disgust.

Deirdre looked away from James' still form shackled to the experimentation table, and bent over the first syringe, filled with a dark blue liquid. She let her impending tears fall as she knocked it roughly away from the small dish filled with cool water, and picked that up instead, placing it in her lap as she turned back to the captive in front of her. "I'm so sorry James, I'm so sorry, but it's not in my hands," she whispered wrenching the water gently from the cloth she had prepared. "I told you what happened between us, Deirdre, I was so happy I trusted you," James replied with difficulty.

The young woman pressed the damp cloth against James' fevered forehead gingerly, caressing his cheek with her thumb affectionately. It was true she disapproved of what Giovanni had done, but in the back of her mind she knew she wanted it as well. She was in love with James, had been since the first moment she saw him, and the prospect of the experiment actually being completed with him, being able to train him to hone the natural powers of the transformation, then perhaps taking him for herself, the ultimate weapon as Giovanni called him, delighted her. She could have cared less about the red-haired slut he called his best friend and the woman he loved, and now that she could taste victory, she found herself realizing the insanity behind her thoughts, while slipping ever deeper into it.

"But I love you James, please don't be angry with me," Deirdre whispered, forcing her sadistic and intimate thoughts away. "No you don't, you're just like him, you're in love with whatever he's going to do to me! Let me go Deirdre! This is wrong!" James cried, gathering the strength to struggle against his bonds. No answer came from the lavender-haired youth as she shut her eyes bitterly, clenching her teeth as the burning conflict within her surged to life with its malicious fangs that threatened to tear her apart, both body and soul, the blazing irises opening again with the fires of hell behind them. "I know!" she shot back, standing so swiftly and furiously the chair she had occupied crashed to the floor and casting a look of pure hate towards her captive. "I know it's fucking wrong! It's sadistic! I watched Butch die with tears in his eyes for Cassidy! I went to both of their funerals! Giovanni didn't even want to have a mock one for either you or Butch! He doesn't fucking care! But _I _do James! I care a lot And II don't love you, I love what you and Jessie are, you're just so perfect, and so were Butch and Cassidy," she paused, retrieving the needle from the drawer to show to James, "in here, is what killed Butch and his Cassidy, your future, as Giovanni's slave. The Twilight Project."

James swallowed hard, and barely felt the hot tears slide down his temples and through his tangled and matted blue tresses. "What's he going to do to me?" he asked piteously. Deirdre could barely stand the child-like fear and confusion in his voice, and his piercing and pleading emerald eyes that gazed with pure betrayal and longing behind them at her. "The twilight project, is another of Giovanni's sick dapples in the realm of genetic engineering. After his Mewtwo project failed, which was to enhance a Pokemon, he-He absolutely went insane, and that's when he thought of turning a human being into one of his "weapons"," Deirdre explained solemnly. "Mewtwo?" James muttered, confused.

Deirdre slapped herself lightly as she recalled that both Rockets and Meowth had been stripped of all memories of the psychic wonder she herself had helped create and sighed deeply as she realized she had been instructed to inform James of his fate. "I'll tell you later," she replied off handedly, unable to continue. James sighed as well, and looked back toward the young scientist sitting on a low stool next to him, forehead cupped in her hands despairingly. "So Butch was an experiment, and now- Now I'm the lab Rattata?" he asked in a small voice. Deirdre looked up, her reddened eyes meeting James in a tacit explanation and exchange of her true feelings of the psychotic old man's plans for him, and yet James could see something else behind them, something she didn't want him to know, but he could feel that he would find out sooner than later. "The injections can be very painful, because at first your body will reject the transformation we're trying to make. Which makes me realize, the modifications on the mew DNA were what kept killing our experimental Mewtwo specimens, because Giovanni demanded an enhanced clone," she replied, not bothering to answer James' question.

The blue-haired youth frowned, closing his eyes in remorse as he finally realized what had befallen his teal-haired friend. "So that's what killed Butch, and what will kill me," he whispered solemnly. "No James! You have to make it! You have to pull through, do it for your friends! Do it for the woman you love! She needs you, and you need her, and I just know you can escape from this!" Deirdre protested, "he thinks he can control you! Just like Mewtwo! Don't let him James! Please don't give up, I can't stand it if I have to watch another human being die at my hands! Don't you fucking dare die on me! Not again! Not again!"

Deirdre fell to her knees sharply at this, sobbing bitterly and loudly into the palms of her hands as she pressed them into her face, furiously gripping her scalp as if her head threatened to explode, and screamed at the top of her lungs. "I can't do this anymore!" she screeched to the dull, electric blue of the lights on the ceiling, "I can't, I can't, I can't!" She lay down on the floor, too exhausted to sit up any longer, and coiled into the smallest ball her body would allow her, repeating her previous words convulsively to herself as she rocked gently. It was James' tender voice that eventually brought her back to her senses, as she realized he was calling her name gently. "Deirdre, get up, Deirdre please get up," he whispered softly, gaining only the attention of her eyes, "there's nothing you can do. Get up, and do your job, if Giovanni wants me, he can have me for now, and we'll find a way out of this, I promise."

Deirdre sat up gently, pressing her back onto the cold metal of the table behind her and bringing her knees from the floor into a weak fetal position, shaking her head gently. "No, Butch didn't make it past God I don't even remember, but he wanted so badly to hang on for Cassidy! And she was already dead! He loved her so much, and he lost his life anyway, James I don't want to watch you wither away and die liked I watched him!" she whispered hoarsely. "Cassidy loved Butch too, with all of her heart, and she took her own life for him. HeOh lord, oh god no, oh please don't let Jessie do that, Jessie I'm not worth it! I promised you I'd always find a way home! That I'd never leave you! I won't Jessie I won't! I promise! Please don't give up!" James sobbed, bursting into tears as he remembered the vow he had made to her before the accident that had taken him away from her, and realizing he had broken it.

The phone situated upon the metal desk Deirdre rested against rang through James' hysterical crying, and the young woman slowly rose to pick it up, her face set into a hard scowl as she brought the cold plastic to her ear. "What?" she answered cruelly. "Well I was victorious as usual. How's my boy?" Giovanni asked brightly. "Your- Uh, James is better than we previously thought, you planned the accident well sir, we should be able to begin the procedure-" "Today." Deirdre was interrupted from her suggestion they begin experimentation the next day by Giovanni, who had much different plans for the captive Rocket. "S-Sir, with all due respect, I believe we should begin tomorrow," she protested nervously. "I'll be down in a few minutes, have the gentlest serum ready," Giovanni hissed and hung up abruptly.

Deirdre sighed deeply closing her eyes as she coiled her fingers about the cold, unforgiving glass of the blue-liquid filled syringe she had previously knocked so contemptuously away. "Yes sir, right away," she muttered into the dead line and slammed the receiver down with a vengeance.

The violet hair sweeping over her shoulders caught James' bleary eye briefly, and he looked just in time to see Deirdre wheel a small cart with an odd array of medical equipment atop it next to the examination table on which he lay. His breath caught in his chest as he looked downward to the bottom rack which held an elaborate area for the storage of hypodermic needles, all filled with a spectrum of color, and labeled in chronological order in phases. He noticed the slot for phase one was empty, and felt his stomach twist in terror as he looked up in confusion to the horrifying sight of Deirdre gently flicking air bubbles out of a blue filled syringe.

She sighed and re-capped it, setting it down atop the metal cart and moving to a nearby chair for her tanned suede coat. "Wait, where are you going?" James asked fearfully. "After I finish phase one? I'm going to go get a nice order of some hot Sake and Sushi at the local bar, and tell them to hold the Sushi. Look for a drunk driving crash in the news tomorrow," she replied emotionlessly. "Deirdre," James began, shaking his head in disapproval, but he was interrupted by a sharp jab of pain in his neck.

He cried out in pain, and felt the numbing surge of liquid flow into his body from the cold metal of the thick needle. He snarled under his breath and shot an icy glare at the Rocket standing next to him with the now empty syringe in her hand, paling visibly as it dropped to the floor to shatter. Breaking glass was the last sound audible in James' ears as his world swirled with color as the serum took affect, moaning in physical and mental anguish. "I'm so sorry James, please forgive me," he barely heard Dierdre's soft voice just outside of his ear, his emerald eyes opening wide with the foreign and utterly excruciating feeling of the injection. He could almost feel it surging throughout his entire body, soaking into his being, his soul, becoming one with him, changing him. The shards of ice hurtling at inconceivable speeds through his veins threatened to tear free of his body, ripping it to shreds in the process, and as James finally opened his mouth to scream, he found he could no longer breathe.

The pain rose in a hideous crescendo, and the young man finally forced the air from his lungs, shrieking a loud as they would allow as his body finally gave up the struggle, lurching grotesquely forward, then falling back to the cold, indifferent metal. A small sigh of relief exited the young man's lips as the light faded from his wide and panicked emerald eyes, and Deirdre was instantly at his side, fingers beneath his jaw and her other hand at her mouth. "No James, don't give up on me," she whispered, and upon feeling a strong and steady pulse beneath her fingertips, sighed in relief, "I'm so sorry sweetheart, but I won't let Giovanni go past any phase I think might kill you, I promise. Sleep now, and when you wake up, training will begin."

Deirdre kissed James' fitfully slumbering lips tenderly, brushing his matted blue hair out of his face affectionately before standing, nodding to the shadowed figure in the doorway, and brushing apprehensively by it on her way out. The figure stepped forward into the dim light above his experiment, noting that he slept much more calmly than his previous test had, and smiled, looking to the rainbow shroud placed so delicately into a plain wooden rack. The meager light deepened the groves in his face and distorted his features as he picked up the brilliantly purple filled syringe, and looked to the young man on the table thoughtfully, resting his palm against his fevered and sweaty cheek, and lifting the glass tube to the light.

It glimmered deeply purple and malicious webs upon his own face and James', dancing upon his ashen skin and closed eyelids, reflected off of the still resplendent cerulean locks. It beckoned to be used, to be known, to merge, and infect a mind with its deadly poisons and take root there forever. It spoke to Giovanni, told him it wished to become one with the boy it had allowed him to select for the honor of receiving its powers, to rip out his heart and feelings and feed upon them, simply to give a heartless puppet to the man it deemed worthy, and the chosen one closed his eyes thoughtfully as he received the message. Giovanni debated whether or not to disobey his scientist's word and proceed much sooner with the transformation to obey his serum, and decided with a smile, that he now knew why the first specimen had died with the introduction of the purple solution to his battered and dying body. "It's the strongest one," he mused, "and it should have been done when the body was still strong as well, not after being weakened by the preceding injections."

James didn't stir from his sleep as Giovanni drove the thick needle into his neck where the mark from his first was, viciously pressing the plunger to trigger the burst of burning, noxious fluid into the youth's body and smiling when he did not react. "This is working my son, your spirit will be broken, you will submit to me, and you will do my bidding, whatever it may be that I ask," he whispered cruelly as James' still body twitched gently in various places.

Giovanni kissed James' forehead gently before standing up, and tossing the empty syringe next to the other on the metal cart. He walked silently to the doorway and turned the lights off, shutting the heavy metal door behind him, and entered to correct code for it to lock, bleeping at him in satisfaction, then adding with an indifferent and robotic voice to have a nice day. 

Giovanni walked briskly away, calling his beloved Persian to his side for the gym battle he knew he was inevitably late for, and didn't even notice the dull blue glow from beneath the metallic barrier. He didn't hear the soft drip of water to the tiled floor, or see James' placid, dulled, and now moss green eyes open, they too, glowing with a gentle blue as his vision met with nothing but blackness. The young man was oddly composed as he shut his eyes to a gorgeous crimson specter, dancing seductively just out of his reach, and though he knew he could never reach out and touch it, it comforted him. He opened his eyes and to his astonishment it was still there, the first warm and benevolent thing he had seen, and it seemed to chase away the blackness with two brilliant Sapphires, which smiled delicately upon him. Sleep, they told him, sleep and you'll be alright, and he heeded their request, though he never wished the beautiful and loving vision to end, as he closed his eyes at last when he realized what it was, his final words before falling into a feverish sleep the entity's name. 

"Jessie"

@---

"James? Come on James, sweetheart, wake up!" "_J-Jessie?_" "Yeah Jimmy! Don't make me use my fury swipes on ya!" "_Meowth too? But, how'd they find me? I thought Giovanni told them I was dead_." "Meowth! Do, and I'll wring your scrawny neck!" "_Am I dead?_" "Geez! Calm down Jess! I ain't gonna hoit yer precious James! Just wake im up a bit!"

James' eyes snapped open violently at the final comment from his cat friend, and he sat up with a cry of confusion and fear. Hadn't he just been shackled to a cold metal examination table? Cold, scared, in pain, and utterly alone? "James? You alright?" His eyes finally focused on his surroundings and he found that he was sitting beneath the shade of a beautifully blossoming Sakura tree in a public park. It was pleasantly warm, the light pink flowers cascading in the swift breeze to a brightly colored blanket set beneath it set with a nearly completely devoured light lunch and gingerly lacing the long plume of crimson hair he knew belonged to only one person. He looked to the side to see his beloved Jessie, hands cupped lovingly about his face as she gently brushed his flower laden hair out of his eyes, and he reached out to touch her cheek, tears gathering in his eyes. "Jessie? Oh my god, Jessie!" he cried, pulling her into his arms, the sudden realization hitting him.

Jessie hugged him back willingly, calming him and stroking the back of his head reassuringly as he began to cry. "Shhh, it's okay James. Don't cry, it was only a nightmare, don't cry," she whispered, putting the pieces of why her friend was crying together. "Jess, it was awful! They staged a car accident, and I was in it, only I didn't die, but you thought I did and they were experimenting on me, and I think I died and I broke my promise never to leave you!" he sobbed, holding her more tightly. "Who? Giovanni?" Jessie asked. "Y-yes, and Deirdre, she was the head of it, a-and she said that she loved me, but then performed the procedure! After I told her that I had finally admitted to you that I love you! And I really hope that wasn't a dream too," he said, his cheeks flushing bright pink.

Jessie laughed and pushed away slightly, pressing her lips against his gently to assure him they had admitted love, and the feeling was mutual. "There now, better?" she asked lowering her eyes deviously as she wiped the tears from James' cheeks. "Yeah, scary dream, but I'll be okay now," he replied. "Good! Now you can chase me through the field! Come on Meowth!" she yipped as she jumped from the ground, her sheer white dress flowing behind her as she ran, barefoot, into the vast field below the hill that bore the tree that James had slept under.

He laughed in response, and stood to give chase, but as he looked upon the angelic form of his beloved prancing happily within the fragrant rainbow, a dark shadow of death reared across the landscape. As the shadow passed, the flowers shriveled and died in the blackness, the putrid and pungent odor of blood reaching James' nose, and he closed his eyes against it, making a move to run to the aide of his beloved, but found himself unable to lift his feet from the ground. He reached out to her, too utterly terrified of the entity to speak, tears once again streaming down his cheeks as he noted the glossy black glint of a gun held in death's bony hand. Jessie stopped in the shadow of the tall figure of the dark man, and stepped backward fearfully as an unfelt wind whipped the black cloak about his stocky frame hideously. He pointed a finger at Jessie, then leveled it at Meowth as he extended the hand that gripped the pistol, blood dripping from the sleeve of the black coat, cascading in a scarlet shower of malignancy to the slowly withering and now gray flowers beneath her. "Jessie! Meowth! No!" James finally shrieked, and the second she turned to look in his direction, the bringer of death cocked the gun in his hand, to which Jessie wheeled back around, her hair exploding above her head framed by a listless sun, a final shroud of flame as she reached out to her beloved. "James!" was all that left her lips as two shots sounded in the deathly silence, and a brilliant spray of bloody scarlet exploded from her chest as she crumpled to the ground.

"NO!" James wailed, falling to his knees as he watched the light fade from Jessie's eyes, her gaze turning upward, lifeless irises forever staring intently at something just barely out of her grasp. "Never James, never," the figure moaned as the landscape became completely gray, the only color Jessie's radiant halo of crimson hair spread above her head on the ground, her inanimate and blindly staring azure eyes, and the pool of brilliant dark red blood spreading beneath her and Meowth.

James buried his face in his hands, sobbing, and only when he felt the hot thick liquid in his palms he brought them away, and his vision blurred with red to discover he cried not tears, but blood. "You killed her James! You murdered an innocent, her blood is on your hands," death, moaned in hideous synchronization with the winds. "No! I'd never hurt Jessie! I'd rather die than hurt her!" he replied angrily. "You killed her, you killed her! You left her, and you killed her, you broke every promise you ever made to her! She hates you, and now she always will." "No! We loved each other! I would never hurt her!" "You're a traitor James, you betrayed everything dear to you. Traitor!" "NO!" "Murderer! Wicked, black-souled heartless demon!" "NO! Damn you! NO!"

James leapt to his feet as death's wailing became excruciating to his ears, running as fast as his legs would carry him to Jessie's grotesquely sprawled body, throwing himself upon her when he finally reached his friend's side. "Jessie! Jessie! Jessie! No, Jess. Oh Jessie, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" he sobbed, cradling her still and apathetically cold body against his own. "You can't be dead, please Jess, please answer me, wake up Jessie!"

James stared into the dead eyes of his beloved, the glazed pair of sickly blue stones staring not back at him, but through him, and when he could stand to look at them no more, closed them gently with his fingertips, rocking her gently in his embrace. "Prepare for trouble," he started, knowing it was Jessie's line, but hoping and waiting for her to continue, and when she didn't, he would start again, but her sweet melodious voice never came. Instead, a cold, brutal wind whistled through the barren and stone landscape, with the same uniform, jagged rocks laced with black, the only color the red blood on his hands, and spilt upon the once perfect ground. Even Jessie's once gorgeous mane of hair faded to gray as James watched, leaving the only thing to stand out, the blood, a painful reminder of his horrendous deed. "II'll never leave you Jess, I'll never leave, Never, never, never," he repeated to the rhythm of his gentle rocking oblivious to the crying, sobbing, and screaming of unknown voices carried upon the wind.

Then suddenly, above the howling, and billowing beautifully above the land, a white veil descended upon the trio, and James looked up as he felt a gentle warmth embrace him gently. "Don't leave me James. Please don't leave me, please hold on. Everything will be alright you'll see! I love you James, I love you so much, please just open your eyes, open your beautiful eyes for me to see. I need you James, I need you." James looked up, swearing he heard Jessie's voice beckoning him to return, and hugged her limp form closer to his body, knowing it could not possibly be her voice. "I'm right here Jess, and I'm never going to leave I promise!" he whispered as if she could hear him, kissing her forehead gently, "I love you."

The light enveloped him further, and he felt it wrap around his waist brutally, hauling him to his feet as he was forced to close his eyes against the familiar burning. He let Jessie's body fall from his embrace, screaming her name as his head spun with a thousand colors, feeling himself plummet from an unseen unfelt location to what he knew was his doom below him. "Come back to me" James didn't bother to answer as his name echoed within his mind, the only sensation the hot blood of his tears brutally being blown across his cheeks, leaving a trail of crimson behind him as he fell, faster and faster until at last, nothing.

@---

"How is he Deirdre?" Giovanni asked gently, smiling at James' oddly lucid and tranquil features. The young scientist sighed, rubbing her throbbing temples sore with hangover ruefully and checking the chart she had started the day James had lapsed into a coma. She was unaware that Giovanni had used a second injection the first day of experimentation, and after the young man had remained lifeless for three days, further medical examination showed what her employer had done, and a grim prognosis of events to come. "I hate to say it sir, but I believe proceeding with the complete series of injections while he was unconscious may have cost you your specimen," she answered bitterly sincere.

Giovanni's emaciated face flashed with fury, and his icily spiteful gaze was turned with hatred toward the lavender-haired girl sitting by the table. "What are you saying Deirdre? He's not dead, I haven't lost him yet!" he chided her sharply. "I'm saying," she started, desperately trying to hide her tears, "I'm saying that I don't think he's going to wake up sir." 

Giovanni drew back with a small, childish gasp of fear, all at once feeling the dreaded emotions he'd felt when he'd been informed Mewtwo had gotten away, and that he had failed. The same emotions he'd so guilefully hidden when Butch had succumbed to the deadly poisons of the Twilight project and died on the very same table right in front of his eyes. Something in his mind snapped, and a furious burst of frustration flared to life within his tortured soul, clenching his fists to avoid breaking something important. "W-What?" he choked, unable to grasp the devastating words. "Look, he's been in a completely unresponsive coma for two months now, he isn't showing any signs of coherent brain activity, I think it's time you face the facts," Deirdre replied, gently stroking James' pale cheek.

As if to respond, a small groan rose in his throat, and a glittering diamond of a tear rolled down his cheek, whispering something vaguely under his breath. "NeverNever." Deirdre blanched at the small utterance which only she had heard, cupping James' chin gently in her palms. "James? Oh my James, come on!" she pleaded, stroking his cheeks. "I knew he'd make it!" Giovanni cried victoriously. 

James' dull and faded, now mossy green eyes slowly slid open, staring with nothing but contempt at the oddly familiar black figures that loomed above him. "W-Who? Where's Jessie?" he asked groggily. Deirdre softened her gaze, running her hands through James' silken blue hair as she kissed his forehead lovingly. "We don't know sweetie, she's been missing for about two months now," she replied gently and James looked sharply away. "Don't call me that," he growled, "but-But is she alright?" Giovanni scowled, knowing exactly what he needed to do as he sat on a small metal stool next to the cold metal table on which his experiment lay. "We told you we don't know, you lost her James, this is where you belong now, and this is the only place you'll be appreciated," he sibilated roughly.

James closed his eyes as he felt the hot trickle of tears down his cheeks, and he instantly gasped in terror, placing a hand to his eyes and pulling them away to ensure they weren't covered in blood. When he verified they weren't, he let them fall unabashed, looking piteously up to the duo that hovered over him like parents over a sick child. "A-A dream?" he muttered, finally realizing what the terrible vision had been, and a tiny, meek gasp of terror exited his lips, "I-Is she dead?" Deirdre felt her own tears fall at the utterly hurt, betrayed, and twisted look of child-like fear on her beautiful James' face, and took his hand gently. "We don't know where she is, but we didn't kill her, so I'm sure she's alright," she whispered tenderly.

James snarled under his breath at her, and she gasped at the, not grateful reaction she had expected as the youth narrowed his eyes bitterly in contempt. "You did this to me!" he cried, his eyes flushing a brilliant but icy blue. "No James, please, you have to believe that I love you more than anything in this world! I would never hurt you!" she replied backing away as she felt the hair on the back of her neck tingle. "It's too late, you already have hurt me!" James sobbed, and Giovanni looked on with a smile as his young scientist was surrounded by an ethereal blue aura, and gently lifted from the ground.

"You belong here with me James! Together we can be great! You're the ultimate weapon! You're invincible! Join me James!" Deirdre cried frantically. "NO!" was the youth's only response, and the lavender-haired woman barely had time to scream before being hurled roughly through the air to strike the wall at sickening speeds. She fell roughly to the ground as the blue aura faded, and James looked on in disbelief, unaware of the hideous grin shining like a white beacon in the darkness behind him, plastered upon the craggy face of Giovanni. "W-What happened?" James inquired meekly, and looked mournfully into the definitive gaze of his oppressor. "From now on, James LeBlanc is dead, you will feel nothing, regret nothing, you will cease to be, except as my ultimate weapon," he hissed vehemently. "Your what? I don't understand! What the hell are you talking about?" James queried again, the panic rising in his voice. Giovanni was oddly composed as he put a hand on his creation's shoulder, caressing it gently, then clamping down on it as if to emphasize his previous point of his new being.

He then gently picked up James' hand and pressed his thumb into his wrist, smiling as he could just barely feel a small ridge in the otherwise perfect flesh, massaging it tenderly. He sighed in pleasure, knowing that all stages of the experiment were complete, and his living breathing, functioning, as he had just proved, entity was right in front of him, and he pressed harder, just to ensure that the faint but distinct ridge was in fact beneath his thumb. "Do you feel this? Concentrate on what I'm touching right now, I know you know what it is," he mused softly. James raised an eyebrow, making no attempt whatsoever to reach out, or to feel, but his eyes widened as he realized Giovanni's touch was an altogether new sensation.

He stared at his arm in wonder, and watched the gnarled and cracked hands work their way across his translucently pale skin, suddenly aware of an odd feeling deep inside of his being. His mind felt open, and much more vast than it had ever felt before, and he could still feel the ice of the first injection searing through his veins, pacified by a more intense rage of fire within them as well. He looked at his other hand, utterly transfixed at the odd and jumbled mix of sensations he could not place, and a spark of cold blue electricity rose from it, crackling warmly in the deathly silence as Giovanni released James' other hand. "Now do you see what I mean? Go ahead, try it, experiment, learn," he said softly.

James extended the hand, and his eyes went wide with fear as a long green vine extended from the base of his palm, hanging like a malevolent specter before both men in midair. James gasped, and shook his head as if to clear it, squeezing his eyes shut until a celestial dance of colors swirled before his vision. "No! No it isn't true!" he moaned. The vine twitched as he commanded it, and James knew it belonged to him. "HowIs this possible?!" he screeched, his formerly gentle eyes wild with a primal fear raging behind them, "What have you done to me?! What the hell am I?!"

James felt his soul burn, like someone had reached inside of it and torn it in half, devouring one, and gruesomely mutilating the other as he watched. The thought of that man, the man who had beaten him, called him worthless, insulted him, caused him to hate only one person other than his fiance, experimenting on, tormenting his body while he was soundly in a terrifying realm of death and blood, made him sick. Visions danced before James' eyes, the sound of laughter robustly poured forth from the broad chest of the snarling black beast of death standing beside him blurring into an indescribable roar in his ears. "This is a nasty stage, but once you learn to control your powers, you'll be alright my son, I promise you'll be alright."

James opened his mouth to scream, but a deafening wail of voices rose in his ears, and he managed only a small cry of terror as he lurched forward, savagely gripping the sides of his head. They spoke nonsense, and he screamed at them to stop, electricity writhing about his body as he felt it reach inside of him, seething into his being, beating back his sensible mind, the kind caring person he knew he was, and charring his heart black. He knew neither what he was, nor the purpose for his being any longer, and as he finally realized what had happened to him, he watched as what little he had retained of his sanity slipping through his fingers like slick and aqueous sand.

The voices rose in a rapid crescendo, and James finally forced the sir from his lungs to scream, falling to the cold metal of the table and coiling against his own body. "Stop it, leave me alone!" he cried, "stop tormenting me!" "James get a hold of yourself you worthless fool! If you can't control the powers they'll destroy you! You fucking idiot!" Giovanni screamed, and this time, the blue-haired young man heard him. "II can't! What are they?! I can't control What I" his speech was interrupted only briefly by a ghastly scream of agony, "I don't, understand!"

"You do understand! Concentrate! You stupid ignorant fool! I knew giving you the psychic powers was a mistake! Focus James! Focus damn you!" Giovanni roared, slapping the incapacitated young man harshly across the face. James snarled in anger, and narrowed his now bitterly ice blue eyes at the man, and grinned with relish as he too, flared with an intense blue aura, just as Deirdre had before he had. "I'll kill you, you psychotic old man! I'll kill you so slowly you'll barely know you're dying! All you'll know is the pain! Rising steadily until you go even madder than you are! You deserve to suffer for what you've done to my Jessie, and to me!" he hissed abhorrently.

Giovanni held up a hand calmly to the capriciously jerking and convulsing young man, reaching forward ever so gently as his mossy eyes glazed with pain and fatigue, the blue completely draining from them and the choking psychic grip on Giovanni's body releasing gently. "Shhh, you're just a little confused, and Deirdre tells me she forgot' to tell you exactly what the twilight project is, think you can stay focused and awake long enough for me to explain?" he asked gingerly, and caressed James' cheek gently. James nodded, and closed his eyes, trying to make sense of the voices in his head, and the odd perceptions he felt everywhere in his body.

"The twilight project, is my second, and perfected dapple in the realm of genetic engineering to create an ultimate weapon, and I can sense you now remember Mewtwo," he began, to which James nodded solemnly, "Well that Pokemon was an utter failure, so I began anew, looking to make a more powerful creation than ever before. You may think I wanted to win Pokemon battles, like with my previous attempt, but I decided that to get more power I needed to strike fear into the hearts of the people. I needed to make them grovel at my feet, make them beg to be spared, plead to be treated mercifully, but as soon as they caught sight of the oppressor, know instantly that mercy, and benevolence, would be things of the past. You are that oppressor James, I have combined your body with Pokemon DNA, and the transformation was perfect! Just like you, as the candidate for this experiment, are perfect. You, my dear James, are now capable of using any type of Pokemon attack known to humanity."

James' breath caught in his chest, and he shook his head in utter disbelief. "No, no that is not possible!" he whispered hoarsely. "And why not? You just demonstrated a lovely confusion attack on poor Deirdre, a beautiful vinewhip, and the beginnings of a variety of electric attacks! Look at yourself! How can you not believe?" Giovanni asked smugly, and James gritted his teeth, the thought of what the psychotic old man had done to him permeating his mind numbly. "You'll never get away with this, never!" he seethed, the silent tears running down his temples and landing resiliently into his carefully preened cerulean locks. "I already have James, and you'll be sorry to know that this, is your life now. No one will have you but me, not even Jessie, if she thought you were alive, you're no longer a human, you're not even a Pokemon, you're mine, and you are an assassin," Giovanni hissed condescendingly. "No, Jessie loves me, and I love herI couldn't kill anyone, please don't make me," the youth whimpered in response. "Love is for the pitiful and weak, and you must learn that your heart serves one purpose, to keep blood flowing through your veins. You can kill and you will, but sleep now, and in the morning your training will begin," Giovanni said sharply and stood, nodding to a rather dazed Deirdre standing at the door, "Remember, you don't belong in any world but your own, you won't be accepted anywhere else, I'm the only one who cares about you. Love is always conditional, and it isn't a true emotion don't trust it. Stay here and be safe, leave and you'll die alone and miserable." 

James clenched his teeth harshly to conceal the sobs that wracked his body as he heard the harsh electronic voice of the door telling Giovanni and Deirdre to have a nice day, and let his tears fall under the harsh, yet dull neon glow of the dying halogen lamps lining the ceiling. "It's not true, I know Jessie loves me! Our love is eternal, because I fell in love with her the second I saw her." The youth coiled into a tight ball, his knees against his thundering chest to comfort him, rocking himself gently in a cruelly vain attempt to ease himself back to sleep.

No rest would come for the desolate young man that night as he cried into the bitter hours of the night and into the early morning, oblivious to the joyous songs of the larks, which chased away the more haunting melodies of the Nightingales. All James knew was the freezing metal upon which he lay, and he could almost feel it seeping into his being, telling him to lock away his heart, hide it so it wouldn't be broken, freeze it in time and always remember the blazing love he knew he must dim to mere embers which must never be extinguished. The voices sounded in his ears repetitively and spoke to him of what they deemed his useless heart and feelings, telling him to betray his soul mate, for she was not of the same species as he, and she must be forgotten. James knew then he would never see anyone he loved again, and drove back his feelings and emotions viciously, now ashamed of the tears that would not abate of his own will. He dreaded with the utmost abhorrence what was to befall him upon the morrow through the entirety of the night, and eventually allowed his glassy, lifeless eyes to drift to the small slit Giovanni had deemed a window to see a thin ray of melancholy blue light of morning cascade like a beam of ice to the linoleum floor.

Reaching out to touch the cold energy, James pondered as to whether or not he was capable of the attack the light had reminded him of, weakly extending a hand to the floor. A shrill shriek of energy as the thinly weak blue beam shot forth from his trembling palm and to the floor in a mocking pile of ice from a perfect ice beam attack confirmed his horrid suspicions.

Completing an offensive maneuver on his own accord, albeit a weak one, caused a hoarse and subdued sob to escape James' burning throat, and he pulled his hands into his body defensively, finally slipping into a light sleep before the inevitable torture that would follow. The desolate youth slept fitfully, nightmarish visions of blackness, and the mere sound of demented and sadistic laughter echoing perfectly and sharply in his ears, bloodied from the tears of blood he cried, and the gauges his fingernails had scraped from his flesh. He knew what terrors awaited him come the ironically bitter and leeringly golden light of morning, and what would be so for the rest of his eternity as Giovanni's personal slave, his perfect weapon, a cold and heartless assassin, James LeBlanc.


	5. part 5

Twilight Always Falls

Part 5

__

When the evening falls and the daylight is fading,

from within me calls - could it be I am sleeping?

For a moment I stray, then it holds me completely.

close to home - I cannot say.

close to home feeling so far away.

As I walk there before me a shadow

from another world, where no other can follow.

carry me to my own, to where I can cross over...

close to home - I cannot say.

close to home feeling so far away.

Forever searching; never right,

I am lost in oceans of night.

Forever hoping I can find memories.

those memories I left behind.

Even though I leave will I go on believing

that this time is real - am I lost in this feeling?

Like a child passing through, never knowing the reason.

I am home - I know the way.

I am home - feeling oh, so far away.

@---

An icy and bitterly resentful wind whipped the shoulder length blue hair about the young man's face cruelly as he stood before his master, clad in black from head to foot, his garb consisting of a shirt not unlike the ones he had worn what seemed like so long ago, as well as pants and just barely knee height boots. The outfit was strikingly similar, even possessing the traditional black gloves he had once worn, save for one indisputable difference, the long flowing coat with a blood red capital R embroidered over his heart; the unmistakable, well known, and utterly dreaded uniform of the elite Team Rocket assassin. It was his first day in the clothing, and he had not slept the night before, so the dark and disconsolate shadows beneath his lifeless eyes reflected his already breaking soul.

Visions of his wretched childhood danced through his mind at every crack of the whip, and he could not help but wonder, if it was his true destiny to be a puppet. He knew his beloved was gone from his grasp forever, what other choice did he have but to give up? There would be no other life for the blue-haired young Rocket, and he resigned to it, the ice around his slowly blackening heart becoming thicker with every attack, every lash, and every victory over Pokemon twice his size.

The youth looked up with spiteful emerald eyes burning with the fires of hate at the arrogantly mocking and condescending soul across the small concrete enclosed arena as the thin serpent's silhouette of a whip cracked through the air. "Again!" the dark figure commanded maliciously. Cerulean hair flashed in the dim wintry light of mid-day at the command as the young man dashed forward, disappearing with his speed to the human eye, and then materialized for a split second upon one of the seemingly hundreds of jagged rock formations before vanishing again, only to appear in mid air directly in front of Giovanni, turning a lissome flip before landing delicately upon the ground on bent knee. He looked up to the man who held him at his disposal then, his handsome features etched into the same expression of a broken soul he had worn for as long as he had been under control, awaiting further instruction.

Giovanni smiled crookedly, and with a small flick of his wrist, had the long snake of black leather around the youth's neck, forcing him to stand and pulling him closer. "Excellent James, your agility gets better every single time, but right now I have a treat for you!" he whispered in a voice that mocked sweetness. James' expression never shifted as he spoke to his master evenly, his voice quiet, and subdued, the former jovial and almost child-like tones completely wrenched free of the eloquent and velvet tones. "And what would that be?" he asked.

Giovanni's bitter smirk only widened as he turned, and motioned to two roman clad guards standing at the exit to the personal training arena of their leader's Pokemon. They nodded simultaneously, and opened the gate, a defiant shriek sounding from behind it, and the next thing James saw was a thin, wiry figure of a white-clad Rocket being dragged ruthlessly into the arena to be thrown at his feet. For a mere fraction of a second, James' stomach twisted as he thought he recognized the figure sprawled upon the gray earth, only to heave a sigh of relief when he saw that neither was the Rocket female, nor possessing her beautiful crimson locks.

James didn't flinch as he felt Giovanni's hand upon his shoulder, and didn't bother to turn his head to look him in the eyes as he spoke. "Who is this? And what purpose does he serve to me?" he asked softly. "Hey boss! Pretty pathetic punishment if ya ask me! Bein' killed by wimpy lil Jamesie LeBlanc? You really have lost it! The guy's such a pansy!" the blonde-haired man on the ground laughed. 

James' breath caught in his chest, and he closed his eyes, shaking his head gently as he realized exactly what his oppressor intended for him to do. "No, no I won't hurt him," he whispered. "James, meet Clyde, unfortunately, we discovered him in his room with more than convincing evidence that he is a traitor, and you know what the punishment is for betrayal. I want to get you out in the field as soon as I can, now show me what you can do," Giovanni said and released James' neck from the whip, shoving him forward roughly.

The Rocket approached the man on the ground slowly, making no move to touch him in any way, his expression never faltering as Clyde looked up at him, and smiled vindictively. "Jamie, long time no see buddy! Been a while since I gave you that black eye during training!" he laughed pointing. "Look Clyde, Giovanni has lost his mind, but he's not lying when he says I can kill you," James said firmly, "Please don't make me." The sincere and somber statement only sent Clyde into more hysterics, rising at last to his knees with one arm about his aching stomach. "You? The pathetic, weak fruit who always has his nose in a flower? The one who holds the record for losses in tactical combat training? The biggest fucking loser and disgrace to Team Rocket, that James? Yer gonna make me die laughin!" he replied loudly.

James snarled under his breath and took another step forward, a light breeze tossing his hair and black coat majestically about his frame, and even Clyde's laughter abated as he noted the grave expression chiseled into his oddly indifferent features. "Just shut up and get out of here, I'm not going to kill you," James hissed sternly. "Of course not! You couldn't kill me if I asked you to! I always thought you were gay but this just proves it! I guess now when Jessie comes back I can move in on her!" Clyde replied deviously.

James clenched his fists at his sides, squeezing his eyes shut to control his steadily rising anger, and the vines that threatened to burst free at any given moment and strangle the Rocket at his feet. "Leave my Jessie alone, and I told you to go!" he yelled, his even voice finally rising. "Oh she's yours now is she? Well, you're dead! Ha! And besides, everyone knows all bitchy Jessie Burkely is good for is one night of fun! Too bad she won't let anyone touch her, I swear, virginity is wasted on the beautiful, she would be a great fuck," Clyde quipped harshly.

James roared in anger and Clyde barely saw his movements as a vicious pair of green vines erupted from his palms, wrapping themselves voraciously about his neck and lifting him from the ground. He hung from them, gasping for breath before James finally let go just barely enough for him to speak, the only thing he could see the bitterly narrowed and furiously blazing eyes. "Holy shit! What the hell are you?" he gasped. "Don't you _EVER_ talk about my best friend and the woman I love like that you son of a bitch!" was James' only furious response. "Good James! Use your anger! Now finish the mother fucker off!" Giovanni laughed demonically.

James seethed and clenched his teeth, but forced himself to drop Clyde roughly, retracting the vines with a definitive hiss. The cried out in pain as he hit the ground and sat up swiftly, eyes wide and disbelieving as he rubbed his neck and gasped for breath. "I will not kill him!" James shouted, his voice breaking with tears, and shrieked in pain as he felt the whip upon his back. "Damn you James! This is your destiny! Embrace it! Kill him, and feel the rush of power! Kill him now!" Giovanni's almost disembodied voice rang out.

"Yeah, kill me, let's see what ya really are! Or are you really a worthless stupid freak of nature? Kill me, come on!" Clyde chided sarcastically. "No! NO!" James responded, putting his hands over his ears as the voices that had ceased to speak to him flared again, this time with a new intensity, biding him to kill the man who had insulted him, and his soul mate. "I won't kill him damn it!" he screamed. "It is what you were made to do! Do it now!" Giovanni commanded and he himself drew back in fear as James whirled around to face him.

He smiled crookedly, and cocked his head audaciously to one side as he sauntered gently forward. "Made to kill was I?" he asked brightly. "Keep back you freak, I am your master you will obey me!" Giovanni snapped brutally, lashing the whip. James rose his arm nonchalantly, yet blindly quickly, and caught the strip as it wound about his arm harmlessly, jerking it with a furious cry of mental agony to bring the old man closer to him. "You want to see me kill him? You want to see me kill him?! Fine! But you're next," he snarled, and shoved his master to the floor, not even flinching at his sharp cry of pain.

__

"I give up," James thought to himself as he turned around to face the now horrified Clyde on the ground, _"Giovanni's right, this is what I am now, I'm never going to see my Jessie, or Meowth again. I'm a slave, I don't feel, and I shouldn't, I'm only going to get hurt again." _James let the ice, anger, and utter hatred overtake his heart and soul as time slowed to a near stop for both himself, and the young Rocket cowering at his feet. Clyde held up a hand, screamed for him to stop, to spare him, and James remembered well what Giovanni had said he wanted, and that it was now his duty to fulfill that desire. He felt the surge of heat in his hand as he gathered the energy, face chiseled into a solemn expression of a heartless demon, and pointed it in the direction of the cowering man. _"Never again, I'm never going to let myself be hurt again, not by anyone, my heart no longer has a use,"_ he thought and with a fierce battle cry, allowed the flame to erupt from the palm of his hand.

James was oddly lucid and composed as Clyde's deafening scream of anguish rang above the roar of the fire as it plowed into him, carrying his limp and instantly seared body to collide roughly with a stone. It exploded as it struck with a horrific flurry of embers and charred flesh, swirling away as it extinguished in the presence of the obstacle, leaving in its horrible wake a blackened and very dead body. James felt only the slightest twinge of remorse at seeing the man dead before him, the life that had ended by his own hand, and slowly turned around, narrowing his wild emerald eyes bitterly at Giovanni.

James was no longer in control of his actions, he had made the decision to give up, and abided by it, allowing what little emotion remaining to take over his body, while his conscious mind did whatever it saw fit to nurse his mutilated heart and soul. He knew he must never allow himself to return to the surface again, for if he did it would only be beaten back like it had so many times in the past, Jessie and Meowth the only ones who were able to coax his free self from his deeply scarred heart. James was satisfied with his friends, and the woman he loved, knowing that their hearts too, were marred by pain, Jessie's perhaps even more so than his own, but he knew that with finding each other they had overcome the torment they had endured in the past. The youth watched his heart break all over again in his own hands being separated from them, being used again, and treated like a possession, and knowing his soul was now far too locked away and frozen for the light to ever melt it and find him again.

The stalemate between Giovanni and his creation screeched to a silent halt, no one daring to move, not even to retrieve the body James had just destroyed, and the only sound that permeated the arena the gentle rustling of the wind in James' black as death coat. "You," he hissed rancorously, shattering the quiet as he pointed an accusing finger at Giovanni, "You killed me you bastard! Now I'm going to make you suffer the same fate as the three lives you so mercilessly destroyed!"

James thrust his hand forward, his eyes flaring a cold psychic blue as his shoulder length hair was tossed gently into the air by an unseen and unfelt force. "Stop it James! I-" Giovanni attempted to speak, but found his air supply rudely cut off from his body. James grinned in relish and lifted the hated body from the ground, narrowing his eyes to concentrate better, and gently drifting his hand upward to find a suitable place to drop Giovanni to his death. "What are you waiting for!? Restrain him!" he managed to croak.

James didn't even bother to look as he felt cold metal encircle his neck, dropping Giovanni to focus his attention on his new assailants. He turned, palm extended to execute an attack, but when he focused to chose which one, he felt an excruciating bolt of electricity tear through his body and with a hideous shriek of agony, fell to his knees. When the pain did not abate, he was forced to double over, wrapping his arms about himself in a vain attempt to soothe his body, looking up only when he saw a pair of dirty dress shoes shuffle toward him. "You're a damn fool James, you can control your powers, but yet you've let your anger to poison your mind," Giovanni began. "At least" James started, unable to finish due to pain, "At least I ended his life, instead of sending his soul to a black purgatory and leaving his body and mind intact as you did to me, and my friends."

James barely flinched as Giovanni snarled and slapped him across the face, turning his head in same direction to lessen the pain. "Why you insolent" Giovanni stopped, forced to look away from James' cocky smile, "Take him away, get the wretch out of my sight! NOW!" James stood as the guards commanded him, allowing them to cuff his wrists behind his back with the same metal he wore around his neck and following the path they instructed him to walk, casting one last abhorrent glare at Giovanni, sending a cold shiver down his spine.

The older man turned away from the emerald stare to the kind and compassionate gaze of Deirdre, who reached out to James wistfully. "I've failed haven't I?" he asked quietly. "Oh no sir! Not at all! James just needs to be broken a bit more, trust me, he'll be everything you want him to be," she replied with a large grin. "Why are you so happy today Deirdre?" Giovanni inquired as they headed back inside. "Oh no reason really, one could say that I'm, moving on from my previous state of being," she answered, and nothing more was said as the duo parted ways.

@---

James stepped obediently into the cell the four guards directed him into, never putting up a struggle as they freed his wrists, and attached the metal collar he wore with a thick chain to a bolt in the wall. He tugged at it experimentally, and when he found that it was securely attached, sighed dejectedly and perched himself upon the thin cot in the corner of the cell. "You'll be fed later, and Giovanni said to try and rest," one guard said roughly and James chuckled. "Giovanni should be worrying about his own rest, he may not want to sleep very long tonight," he commented. The guards backed away nervously and James sighed, rubbing his temples ruefully as he leaned back against the cold stone wall, jerking roughly at the collar about his neck.

"Damn him!" he hissed under his breath, folding his arms across his chest. He knew then what the thick band of metal he wore did to him, and what it's intentions were, and not wanting to hurt himself further by using his powers in the restraint that was meant to inhibit them with pain, gave up his struggle. He laid down carefully, placing his hands behind his head and crossing his ankles casually with a sigh, looking up to the window to see the fiery red disk of the setting sun flare tenaciously about the landscape. "OooH! Somebody new! Hiya Mr. Person in the house next to me! How areya?"

James jumped, startled by the shrill and overly cheerful voice, sitting up swiftly to see a little girl locked in a cell just across the linoleum pathway leading along the storage area for experiments. "Hi, who are you?" James asked gently, frowning at the odd features of the creature that smiled broadly at him with deadly looking fangs.

She looked to be a young girl of no more than six, but she had a gigantic plume of electric pink hair with a lightning bolt streak of yellow searing through the center of it, one eye the same color, the other the same pink. Her cheeks were crimson ovals, not unlike a Pikachu's, and though she wore a tiny pair of jeans and an extremely revealing top, James could see that she was covered in a silky golden fur, brown stripes adorning her back. She hopped resiliently from her bed, and the young man winced as he noted the jagged tail reminiscent also of the electric Pokemon the girl in general so resembled.

She smiled again, and extended a clawed hand out of the bars just far enough for James to grab, which he did, shaking it firmly. "My name's Callie! What's yours!?" she chirped brightly. James managed a small smile, and sat back down, but edged closer to the odd little girl. "My name's James," he answered warmly. "That's a pretty name! Why are you down here with me, Mr. James?" she asked, the Pikachu's ears James only noticed then pricking up to their full height. "I'm down here, because I'm an experiment, and I'm dangerous," he answered solemnly.

Callie frowned, but only for a moment before clambering deftly up the bars of her cell, hanging upside down from them and peering closer at her new friend. "I one of those experimerents thingies too! You look so sad, and sweet, not dangerous! _I'm _dangerous! I killed someone, did ya know that?" she proclaimed proudly. James winced at the words, and hung his head, only then realizing the severity of his actions. "Yeah, so did I," he whispered. "You have a collar too! Does that mean you have powers? I have powers! But Mr. Giovanni said that I can't control them and I'm a-a Menerace to society!" Callie said with a huge toothy grin. "A menace to society, and to think, now he's creating assassins," James whispered mournfully.

"You seem so sad Mr. James, why?" Callie asked piteously, to which James sighed deeply. "Because I'm lost, I don't know what I am, and I don't know what to do," he answered. "You're not lost! You're here, and you're you! And you should do what you feel!" Callie answered, flipping artfully to land on her mussed and obviously unattended bed. James snorted quietly at her words, tossing his hair cynically. "Feel, how can you feel when you know you've been created? Altered? Defiled while you sleptWhen you don't know whether you're a Pokemon or a human, and whether or not you'll get your heart broken again," he said. "My heart's never been broked, is yours?" the girl asked. "One too many times and now beyond repair, I myself, personally, choose not to feel anymore," James said evenly.

Callie pressed a hand to her heart sympathetically, nodding in agreement. "That's sadYou losted someone you love, huh," she whispered, almost reverently. James nodded, looking up to the crisp pinpoints of stars just beginning to appear in the darker portion of the sky, and wondered if Jessie was watching from them, or perhaps still alive, and looking at the same star. "I did Callie, I lost someone I loved more than anything else in the world, but I try to forget about her, it hurts too much and I know she's gone forever," he said mournfully. "Oh Mr. James, never forget her! That happened here too, to me. I memember, there was a Vaporeon boy who lived in the cage over there," Callie chirped, pointing to the cell in question, "We would talk, and we called each other brother and sister, cause we was borned on the same day! But then the men in white took him away, and he hasn't come back. The pretty lady with purple hair said he wouldn't come back, and I got really sad, but now I remember the happy stuff about him, and I'm not sad! I know that whatever happens to me, in the very end, I'll see my brother again, and that's all that matters!"

James felt a slight twinge of tears in his eyes, but didn't allow them to fall, sighing deeply and looking up to the cheerful smile of the Pikachu girl. "Well you hold on to those memories, but I'm afraid I'm going to be down here for a very long time, and I don't want to be sad anymore. Don't worry about me Callie, I'll be okay, I promise you, I'm a survivor," he said warmly. "And always remember, you're anything you want to be! Pokemon, human, both, you're always you, you'll always be pretty Mr. James! I'm gonna go to sleep now, cause I'm sleepy, and I see nice pictures and sometimes I play with my brother when I sleep! Nighty night!" Callie said, and plopped practically into the nest of fabric she had created for herself.

James smiled slightly at the little girl, but it quickly faded, replaced by the hardened, almost emotionless line it had been since he had begun his training under Giovanni. He lifted his hands to his face, and winced, finding them slightly burned from the immense fire attack he had exacted upon his hapless victim earlier that day. He buried them roughly in the pockets of his coat, one slightly later than the other, stopping at his neck to adjust the cold metal and wires of the collar bolted firmly to the wall. The chain rattled mournfully in the dark, and James finally decided to sit up, curling his fingers gently about the freezing and cold iron bars sealing the window of his cell away from the world.

The blue-haired young man peered cautiously outside, and watched as a few lonely Zubat wound their way about the maze of trees, their supersonic screeches echoing coherent messages in James' ears. He sighed and closed his eyes as he turned away from them, burying his face in his hands and letting his back slid down the wall, collapsing into the bitter firmness of the cot.

He clenched his fists tightly, and pressed them hard against his shut eyes, hoping to ward off the horrific images of Clyde's bitter and gruesome murder at his hands. Though he tried to forget what he had done, there was no denying it, or lightening the fact that he had ended a human life, he had killed him in cold blood, and out of spite. "II'm sorry, I'm sorry. I failed everyone, I really am completely worthless," he whispered, "A useless freak, the only purpose I serve is to Giovanni now, I really amDead."

James' own words barely even scratched the surface of his cold heart, knowing then he no longer cared about himself, or what should happen to him. His fate had been artificially shifted in a black direction, and the path had wavered too far from the light for him to see it, much less find his way back to it. He walked down the road chosen for him, voices echoing about him, praising him for the correct decision, and he finally accepted his duty. The time would come when he would be released upon the world as a black twilight of bane and malignancy, and Giovanni's reign of terror would shroud humanity, and James felt no remorse at the sudden knowledge, that he would be the upholder of the holocaust. Feelings, emotion, even now his love he crushed within an icy grip, forsaking them in his sorrows, convinced if he forgot about them they would leave him be.

James was wrong, for though he could not feel them, love and compassion, his soul elements, those he had praised so long ago and thanked whatever omnipotent force had allowed him to overcome the obstacles of his past and love and rejoice again, retained a weak, but tenacious hold upon his psyche. James wished so madly to forget his pain, he knew nothing but what he felt his duty was, and was almost glad he had shown Giovanni that he was not the cowering recreant he knew his master thought he was. His life had been pain, and Giovanni had been the source of so much of it, he yearned with all his heart to be rid of him, he deducted the best way was to prove once and for all he was not worthless, and he could control the powers better than any man alive.

Alone with a psychotic creation with the mentality of a five-year old and his own empty thoughts, James finally drifted off into a fitful slumber, filled with nightmarish visions of the red-haired beauty he somehow knew, yet knew must never be remembered. She would seduce him, and as soon as he would feel his heart begin to melt under her touch, his hands would wrap themselves around her throat, and he would clasp it as hard as he possibly could, staring coldly into her panicked and utterly betrayed azure eyes, until at last they would close, and his lost beloved would fall dead at his feet. The tears of blood ran freely then as he sank to his knees, his world fading into a black abyss, and he would get up after hours of wailing and sobbing to wander about the choking mists and foul stenches, calling out a name he didn't quite understand, nor try to. 

"Jessica"


	6. Part 6

Author's Note: :::Sweatdrop::: Erm, I'm SO SO sorry this took like Freaking forever, but I've been really busy lately! @_# And I um.. I kinda lied last time when I said Jess and Meowth were gonna be in this chapter It ended up being really long and I came to a VERY nice ending point for a chapter! So I'm actually STARTING the next chapter with what happened to Jessie and Meowth, and it's already written so I can personally guarantee that they'll be in the next one! Anyways, on to the chapter! (There's some character death so be warned) Enjoy!

Twilight Always Falls

Part 6

"There you go Finny! Your Eevee's all healed and raring to go!" Joy of the Viridian Pokemon Center said happily, setting the excitedly chirping Pokemon on the counter. "Oh boy! Maybe now I can beat my sister's Espeon!" the little boy piped as the Eevee leapt into his arms, nuzzling his master affectionately. "Tomorrow though, it's so late I'm about to close down for the night!" Joy reminded him cheerfully, pointing at the Pokeball shaped wall clock above her head. "Okay! Come on Eevee, time for bed! Thanks Nurse Joy!" Finny yipped overzealously and waved appreciatively to Nurse Joy, who smiled and waved back as the little boy and his Eevee dashed out the door, the tiny bell she kept there jingling to announce his departure.

Chuckling quietly to herself, Joy flipped off the computer at her desk, gathered her keys into her hand, and stood up, pushing her chair underneath the desk and turning to a nearby Blissey. "Blissey, could you lock the front door for me please?" she asked gently. "Bliss! Blissey Bliss-ey!" the Pokemon replied, bowing respectfully and accepting the mass of metal suspended on a key chain bearing her resemblance. Joy heard the satisfying click of the front double glass doors lock, and the gentle rustle of the curtains being drawn across it, turning back around at the muted clacking of the plastic, hand-painted Closed" sign against the cold glass. "Thank you very much Blissey! Is nighttime watch awake yet?" Joy asked picking up her coat.

The pink Pokemon placed her paws upon the egg that rested in her pouch and half bowed, half nodded the affirmative, smiling warmly as she held up the keys previously given to her. "That's okay, I'll be down in a sec, why don't you go start the car and warm it up? Looks like it's really cold out tonight," Joy refused politely. Blissey nodded again, bowed fully, and exited the Pokemon center through the back entrance where she knew Nurse Joy kept her car parked.

Joy made one last check that all electrical equipment was operational, intensive care units were stable and that everything that need be off at night was, ignored a puddle of spilt water as she patted the Chansey assigned to watch the center at night and take any emergencies and headed for the door. "Take care of everyone Chansey!" She called brightly, but gasped at the reply she got. "C-Chaaanseey!" Her hand never touched the doorknob before her Pokemon's shrill cry rang out in the silence, whirling around to find that the water she had just ignored had taken a life of its own, standing in a huge ominous pillar between her and her Pokemon. "W-What on earth?" Joy sputtered, backing into the doorway as the polymorphous figure slowly began to solidify.

It shimmered with a cerulean light briefly, then flashed white, revealing a distinctly human figure in its wake, dressed in a long black coat, pants, shirt, boots and gloves, with a tiny red R' symbol embroidered over his heart, stern face framed by shoulder length silky blue hair, and emerald eyes narrowed bitterly. Their eyes met only for a split second before Joy tore hers away, pointing to the strange man that had appeared so suddenly, with obvious ill-intentions seeming to radiate from his thin, yet muscular and toned stature. "Chansey!" Joy commanded, and not even bothering to call out an attack, the Pokemon knew what to do.

The intruder turned gracefully over his shoulder, black coat sailing almost majestically after his movements, and with a flick of his wrist, sent a tiny cloud of green and sparkling powder toward the Chansey. The Pokemon blinked twice, and his offensive stance drooped, as well as his eyelids, collapsing with a sigh of pleasure and fatigue to the floor. "Chansey! Who are you? What do you want from me?" Joy demanded, and was about to open her mouth to interrogate further, until she watched the stranger disappear into thin air, only to reappear directly behind her.

He stifled her scream before it even occurred to her to do so, wrapping an arm roughly about her throat, and clamping a gloved hand firmly over her mouth. "Don't scream," were his only instructions, and though Joy found it odd that such a beautiful voice spoke them, she nodded, and allowed the man to lead her. He stopped after a few steps, releasing her from his grip, but left his arm outstretched, a long, thick green vine erupting from the base of his palm and entwining that around her neck instead. Joy gasped and looked up to the man in veneration, but he merely sighed and looked away, as if ashamed, and jerked the vines about her neck roughly. "Make a sound, try to escape, anything and I'll break your neck," he hissed, still looking away. Joy, still too terrified to speak, merely nodded, and followed the tugs about the part in question.

The man in black led her to the emergency exit, where he placed a hand on the alarm, closing his eyes remorsefully. Vivacious blue electricity crackled about his palm for a split second, and the door swung open, no alarms sounding, and the door itself making naught a sound as it slowly opened. "Go," the man ordered, and Joy stepped out obediently, knowing what was going to happen as soon as she got outside, and knowing there was no way to stop it.

Joy bowed her head in despair and followed the man into the woods, attempting vainly to keep up with his swiftness, until he stopped, wild emerald eyes darting skittishly about, gripping a band of metal fused about his own neck. Seeing nothing he deemed out of the ordinary, he retracted the vines, and Joy dropped to the ground, panting, her head still bowed in submission for what she knew was inevitable. "Take off your shirt," the man ordered dully, and turned his back, crossing his arms over his chest patiently.

Joy sighed and complied with his wishes, removing the form fitting pink and white blouse that was part of her nurse's attire. She tossed it gently into the dirt at her feet and reached behind her back, unhooking her bra and removing that as well, saving the man the trouble, and stood majestically and callously to her full height. "Okay, I'm ready, just please, spare my life, I beg of you. Do whatever you please, just don't kill me, I have duties to too many Pokemon and people to die," she pleaded softly.

The black clad man turned over his shoulder, a confused and utterly shocked expression on his face, but it was quickly replaced by a furious red blush, visible even in the dim moonlight filtering through the trees, and the twisted features of embarrassment at seeing Joy's naked breasts. "W-What are you doing?" he asked quietly, cupping a hand over his peripheral vision and turning away sharply. Seeing his reaction, Joy covered her chest quickly with one arm, reaching down to retrieve her uniform to do so more completely, and looking quizzically to the still furiously colored man in front of her. "You'reYou're not after sex are you?" she asked with a smirk, "You're even blushing!" "Of course not! What on earth gave you the idea I was going to rape you? Er, don't answer that But, please, put your bra and this on, and give me your blouse," the man replied, tossing the young woman a soft white shirt. "Never met a modest murderer," Joy mused. "Well, murder is my sin, but if modesty is too then I am guilty as charged," came the snide reply, and the young nurse couldn't help but chuckle.

Joy quickly dropped her clothes again to catch the garment, redressed, and picked her pink blouse from the ground, approaching the man cautiously, and tapping his shoulder gently. He turned around, grateful to see her dressed and accepted the garment she held out to him gratefully, nodding appreciatively. "Thank you, not everyone is as cooperative as you, now will you listen calmly to what I am about to tell you?" he asked. "Tell me your name first," Joy whispered tenderly. The man winced and looked away, as if he were ashamed of his name, as well as the various miracles he had performed to get the woman he sought after out of the Pokemon center undetected. "M-My name?" he started to which Joy nodded firmly, "If you must know It's James."

Joy nodded quietly, and wrapped her arms about her waist in a delusive attempt to warm herself against the winter chill, clenching her teeth to ward off her shivering. "Oh, I'm sorry, you must be freezing, here," James said tenderly, removing his long black trench coat and draping it around Joy's shoulders, "I hope you don't mind wearing that damned R' for just a bit, and this should help too." 

Joy didn't move or answer as James moved behind her, and closed her eyes with a smile as she felt his hands run through her tight and regulatory looped hair gingerly, and with the utmost precision, removed every and all of the hairpins that held it in place. She stifled any sound that would indicate how much she was enjoying the dark, handsome man's halcyon touch, and relished his seemingly professionalism, as if he had many years of experience with hair. She felt a pleasant shiver run down her back as he gently tucked the electric pink mass into the back of the white cloth she now wore, his fingers grazing her bare skin only briefly before he withdrew them, smoothing the wrinkles out of his oddly warm coat. Joy smiled and looked back up to James' mournful and subdued emerald eyes, her own glittering as she gazed upon his handsome features. "Better?" he asked softly. "Much, now tell me what's going on," she began, wrapping James' cloak around her more tightly.

James took a deep breath, and looked up to the stars wistfully, and Joy couldn't be sure, but she swore she saw a glint of a tear in his eye as he spoke with deathly clarity. "I'm going to get right to the point, I didn't come here to rape you, but I was sent by Team Rocket to kill you. I am an assassin for them, a creation if you will, and though my orders are to murder ruthlessly, it is not within my context of acceptable behavior to take lives without their knowledge of what they have done, and often simply because my master thinks they may be a nuisance later on. I do not deem any human being or person worthy of death, which is why I brought you out here. I must bring proof of a kill back to my master, and if you'll trust me, I can help you escape with your life. Apparently you have talked to the police recently about the conduct and credentials of the Viridian city gym leader, Giovanni, as you had a recent influx of extremely injured and many near death cases in Pokemon returning from a battle there. He is, in fact, the leader of Team Rocket, and he fears your suspicions may be considered valid, therefore putting him out of business and exposing him to the authorities, so as a result, he sent me to get rid of you before that should occur. Now I must tell you, with your freedom comes a few restrictions: you must never tell anyone you saw me, after I'm done I will be but a figment of your imagination, and you must also never tell a soul what I have told you, or what you suspect, and the truth about Viridian Gym. Believe me when I tell you that if Giovanni caught word you have told the police, it would mean the most definite and swift end of your life, and a long excruciating end of mine. Now, do you trust me?"

Joy smiled, a sudden warm feeling of light sweeping over her, as if she had been rescued by a gallant knight astride a noble snow-white steed from the jowls of a snarling dragon. She almost expected the beautiful and almost ghostly apparition that stood before framed in majestic moonlight to sweep her up into his strong arms and carry her off into the sunset, just like in the movies and books she always loved as a child and an adult about finding true love, and managed a smile, nodding to James firmly. "I trust you, James," she said reverently. James nodded, but his expression never faltered as he flicked his wrist ever so slightly, a blade extending from the base of his palm where the vine had once been, looking up at the gasp from Joy. "Slash attacks do have their advantages," he explained, "Now, this is really going to hurt, but I promise it will ensure your safety, I humbly ask for your trust. Please give me your arm."

Joy complied, and freed one arm from the confines of the coat, retaining a hold on it at her neck in want of its warmth and holding the other out to the man in front of her. She felt a slight blush as James took her hand in his, and touched the thin, nimble blade to her milky skin delicately, hesitating ever so slightly before only drawing a small trail of blood. "Go ahead James, I see what you mean, and I know you won't kill me," she assured him, and looked away, wincing as she felt the metal slice through her flesh more deeply than before.

The hot, mercurial, trickle of blood down the sensitive inner portion of her forearm caused Joy to go pale, her knees weakening ever so slightly, but she straightened them determinedly. Joy looked back, and watched James gather the blood that dripped before it hit the ground in her Nurse's blouse, finally deciding to press it against her profusely bleeding arm. "It's not too deep, it shouldn't leave too much of a scar, but I suppose a little white line is better than death," James remarked dully. "Yes, life is precious, too bad it looks like you gave up on it too early," Joy replied.

James looked up from his work, his emerald eyes meeting Joy's, for the first time that night with a hint of bitterness to them as he tore them away, tossing the blouse into the mud for added struggling effect. "Life has given me nothing but pain, I don't trust it anymore, all I know is what my master tells me to do, and getting around it any way I can. Brace yourself," James snapped, and Joy barely had time to reply before a burst of embers from James' hand seared into her flesh. She shrieked in pain, but held her arm firm in James' grasp, her smiling eyes meeting his once again, finally seeing the wounds that ran so deeply within his soul. 

They had a haunting beauty about them, as if he were singing his part of a duet all alone in his silky velvet voice, his partner's beautiful melody absent from the now hollow and dead music. He had searched for his partner that much was evident, but it was painfully obvious to Joy that they were nowhere to be found, and James had been chained down as he watched them slip from his grasp. "I-I'm sorry," James whispered brokenly, disrupting her train of thought. "It's alright James, I should be sorry for not seeing it sooner," Joy replied, to which James raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Seeing what?" he asked softly. "That you have a broken heart," came the reverent answer, and James closed his eyes remorsefully, looking away.

There was a disquieting silence between the two, as James gritted his teeth, as if he had been suddenly reminded of something so excruciatingly painful he had shoved it to the far reaches of his mind, never to be injured by it again. He looked up at last, and reached into the pocket of the coat Joy still wore, clutching the bundle of bandages, ointment and gauze so tightly that when he unraveled it to tend to Joy's arm, she could still see the indents his fingers had made into it. "I-I managed to cauterize the wound somewhat, and that should staunch the bleeding enough to get to a hospital and get it fixed up properly, and I didn't burn you badly enough to leave too much of a scar," he said at last. "Thank you James, now, did you plan on getting me anywhere, or just leaving me here for the Pokemon?" she replied jokingly.

James was silent as he finished binding Joy's wound, finishing it off perfectly and snugly, his field first aide skills impressing even the seasoned Pokemon Nurse. He tied it off firmly, and patted her arm affectionately once, then with a sickening hiss, the blades burst from his palms in a blinding movement as he first pounded the pink Nurse's blouse into the ground, then tossed it into the air. A meek cry of aggression exited his lips, echoing perfectly with the unwelcome sound of ripping fabric as he slashed at it, catching it artfully and unfurling it to check his work. The shirt hung pathetically from his grasp, torn, bloody and covered in mud, with very realistic looking slashes throughout the entire garment, startling Joy with how much it looked like she had been murdered in it. "My master tells me to leave no evidence, no body, no nothing, just bring back a memento to prove I did it. This is what I usually do, he believes it, and I don't have to kill anyone, but the day he finds out everyone he's sent me to kill is still alive, I'm doomed for an eternity spent in agony, do you understand? You must not let anyone know of our meeting, I don't exist," James hissed vehemently as he spoke of his master'. "I understood the first time, and I promise," Joy breathed.

James smiled vaguely, and Joy felt her heart skip a beat at his beauty, stifled by a broken soul, and felt the hot blush return to her cheeks as he placed a hand on her shoulder, two fingers of his other hand on his forehead. "I'm taking you to Cerulean city, it should be far enough, and you can settle in with your sister or whatever it is there," he said smoothly, and Joy nodded, "Close your eyes, and don't move." The Pokemon nurse obeyed, and felt only a slight heave of her stomach and an odd wailing of energy, her eyes squeezing shut even harder than before.

She nearly shrieked in terror as she felt the floor fall from beneath her feet, only to find it there again a split second later, stumbling forward only to land in the strong arms of James. She gasped and righted herself as soon as she could, lingering only for a moment in his tender embrace, clasping a hand to her mouth as soon as she could back out of it. She looked up and blushed furiously as James chuckled and tossed his mane of long blue hair amiably, the slight smile that never got any larger than the barely noticeable curve it was then soothing her fears. "You okay?" he asked gently, and genuinely concerned. "Y-Yeah, just got my equilibrium thrown off a bit by thatThat-" "Teleport," James finished sorrowfully.

Joy's eyes widened in empathy, and concern, looking up to the silent man in front of her, an idolatrous gaze shining in her deep blue eyes. "You-You use Pokemon attacks, don't you? That puddle of water Acid Armor! And the green powder, was only sleep powder," Joy whispered in consternation. James sighed and looked away, holding up his wrist gingerly to show her the vines he was also able to use and confirm her suspicions indefinitely. "Bullseye, in every regard of your assumption, it's all true," he muttered. Joy's hand flew up to touch the thick green stalk that danced gently, suspended in the air just above her head, but it shied away as soon as they met the slick plant material, burying itself in James' coat once more.

James retracted the vines swiftly, and turned away, his own cheeks crimson with humiliation rather than embarrassment, and when he finally spoke again, his voice was so low Joy could barely hear it. "I don't blame you for being disgusted, and I'm surprised you didn't run away screaming the second you saw the blades from my slash attack," he whispered, "We're inside the Pokemon center, I'll go now." Joy gasped as James put two fingers to his forehead to execute a second teleport to take him out of her life forever, grabbing his wrist roughly, and attaining only an apologetic emerald gaze. "No! James, no, I'm not disgusted, just, a little confused, and horrified, but curious, what happened?" she asked softly. "Giovanni happened," James sibilated abhorrently, "He-He wanted to turn me into the ultimate assassin, so he modified a little DNA, jammed it in my neck, and next thing you know, I've murdered one man, and I feel dead. I lost a girl I'd known since I was ten, the only person who ever understood me, the girl I vowed to stay with forever, who was my best friend, and I used to love more than anything in the world, left with a cold cell, collared and chained like a wild animal, and the only thing I have that's even close to a friend is a psychotic half-Pikachu, half human"

The Pokemon Nurse felt tears sting her eyes as James spat his tale to her as if it had a foul taste, and found it sad he spoke in the past tense of someone she knew in her heart was alive and hurting somewhere. "Don't let her go James," she whispered, handing him back the coat as she realized they were inside. "She was wrenched from my hands too long ago for me to ever find her again," was his bitter reply as he accepted it, putting it back on. "Find her James, I know you still love her, and I know she still loves you, a woman would have to be a complete and utter idiot to love any other man after loving you," Joy said fervently. "You're wrong, I don't love her anymore Joy, I won't let myself, I don't even want to love her, and I hope to god she's forgotten about me, but I have to go, good luckNurse Joy"

"James wait!" Joy called, reaching out for him, but in a flash of psychic, blinding light, her blue-haired savior was gone. She stood, perplexed, for what seemed like hours, reacting only at the shriek from the resident Joy as she rushed into her arms, babbling something about a new music compact disk she had purchased and was dying to listen to with her. "And it's just soooooo cool! You have to hear it!" she babbled to which the other pink haired woman sighed, detaching the squawking shrieking mass at her hip. "Alright alright, go set it up somewhere and I'll listen, be there in a second," she promised.

Her relative leapt into the air excitedly and dashed off, leaving a relieved for the moment young woman, who exhaled the breath she had been holding since she had been taken from the Pokemon center. She pressed a hand to her chest wistfully, and inhaled the fragrance of the plain white shirt James had given her to wear, her mouth curling into an impish grin as the slight scent of roses reached her nose. She sighed and turned to follow the other Joy, which she had long ago forgotten the relation to, turning over her shoulder one last time to view the final spot she had seen the beautiful man. As she flipped off the light the other Joy had switched on, she smiled vaguely, knowing she would never see James again, but in no respect remorseful about it. Though she wished him well, and hoped with all her heart and soul he would find the woman he loved again, one thing was certain; Joy would never forget the haunting beauty and tortured emerald eyes of her knight in shining armor.

@---

James looked up to the moon through the thick canopy of trees balefully, wrinkling his nose at the silent serenity of the full disk and huffing to himself, watching the white cloud of his breath hang for only a moment in the icy air as he jammed his hands into his coat pockets. "Ah what does she know?" he muttered distastefully, furrowing his brow deeply, "James LeBlanc and Jessie Burkely died the same day oh so long ago."

James smirked at his melodramatic tone, suddenly realizing exactly what his words meant and sighing deeply, closing his eyes only briefly as the tall shadow of a Rocket Base located in the most remote regions of a forest James had not been informed the name of. They were bothered by nothing there, which was why Giovanni chose it to conceal his creation and though he rarely visited from either Viridian or Saffron, they were the rare occasions when he did that James was truly afraid of something.

James felt the fear again as he stood in the shadow of his prison, a sick feeling deep in his gut that he knew very well as he sensed the familiar but malevolent presence inside of the building. He gasped in terror, and nearly turned over his shoulder to run, but knew that the punishment for doing so would be far worse than anything he could possibly endure from a happy master. Whimpering slightly, and inaudible to anyone but him, he set his jaw determinedly and placed his foot firmly in front of the other as he forced himself to press on.

He found himself thinking to the few people he had allowed himself to be friendly to, and wondered if he truly cared about them, and if he did if they would be wrenched from his grasp just like Jessie and Meowth had been. He frowned as he realized he hadn't so much as even thought about Jessie until that moment, and when Nurse Joy had mentioned his shattered heart before he had let her go, and discovered, that he did indeed miss them. He shook the thoughts away quickly, knowing they were gone, and resuming his previous endeavor of sorting out his feelings toward anything, or anyone else.

Callie, the Pikachu girl, he deducted, had been almost like a friend to him during his ordeals. Her childish mannerisms, her seemingly wise, yet innocent and rather deep advice, and a furious tenacity to prove that any situation could be made pleasant gave James' lonely and broken life a tiny shred of meaning; and it meant the world to him. Deirdre he also decided, was the only scientist who was kind to him, and bandaged his wounds, held him after Giovanni had finished beating and berating him, truly cared about him and Deirdre, he found, was waiting for him by the gates, arms wrapped protectively about herself, head bowed, and lavender hair spilling in a disheveled heap over her convulsing shoulders. His face contorted with concern as he stopped for only a brief moment to gasp, gaining the attention of her tear-filled and reflective eyes. "Deirdre? What's wrong? What happened?" he asked jogging up to greet her, genuine concern his driving force. She looked up as soon as she heard his voice, throwing open the gate she had long guarded unlocked and rushing into his arms, throwing her own about his neck with a sob of anguish. James gasped, but reluctantly held her back, smoothing her tangled and limp hair soothingly as he lead her inside the gate, pulling it closed and locking his behind him with the keys the young scientist gave to him.

"James, II'm sorry, I couldn't stop him, it's just so awful," she sobbed, and James felt his stomach twist. "Who? What? Tell me Deirdre!" he demanded softly. "James, I-It's Callie, she killed another scientist today, a girl, named Amelia, and Giovanni was alerted before I could do anything about it," she sobbed to which James allowed his jaw to drop in disbelief. "W-What happened to her?! Is she alright?!" he demanded pulling the incapacitated young scientist away and looking deeply into her panicked eyes. "They haven't done anything to her yet, but I overheard Giovanni say he wanted to get rid of her," she answered solemnly.

Deirdre's words had no sooner left her lips than James was gone, pressing his fingers furiously to his forehead to perform a quick teleport down to his cell, leaving a cold, dazed, and utterly lost young woman in his wake. James reappeared down in the laboratory where he dwelled to loud sobbing, and he was instantly at Callie's cell, banging his fist against it when he noted it was empty. He looked up to the experimentation area of the lab, and snarled under his breath as his eyes met with Giovanni's, tacit hatred sparking like lightning between them as James took a menacing step forward to see the Pikachu girl curled into a tiny ball on a metal examination table. "Leave her alone you heartless son of a bitch," James growled, advancing slowly. 

Giovanni looked up from Callie, a sickeningly good-natured grin plastered upon his thin lips, gently cradling a syringe filled with a clear liquid as he placed the hand thoughtfully beneath his chin. "I've turned your collar back on, there's nothing you can do to stop me, now go back to your cage like a good boy," he quipped softly and turned to return to his work. "I said leave her alone!" James roared, knowing what Giovanni intended to do and flinging his arm outward and thrusting his vinewhip at blinding speed to wrap around the older man's wrist. He only had time to feel the thick stalks of the attack before James yanked them back with a furious cry of aggression, sending them both crashing to the floor with a yelp of pain.

The came no more attacks, for James sank to his knees afterward, screaming in agony as the electricity that was punishment for using a maneuver out of line seared through his body with the furious tenacity and righteousness for redeeming the act. Giovanni merely chuckled, and sat up, rubbing the red and stinging marks now around his bruised wrist tenderly, smiling crookedly as James coiled into the tightest ball he possibly could on the ground, moaning in sheer agony as the last traces of the punishment left him. "M-Mr. James?" Callie inquired weakly, sitting up slightly. The blue-haired youth managed to look up, and smiled gently at the worried expression contorting her deformed features as she leapt from the table to land deftly at his side, wrapping her arms about his neck instantly. "No! Don't do that! Please Mr. Boss-man, don't hurt my pretty Mr. James anymore!" she pleaded tearfully. "I'm okay Callie, really, don't worry about me," James replied softly as he sat up.

Callie burst into tears and hugged James more tightly as he held her closer, glaring daggers at Giovanni and gathering her gently into his arms, standing to take her into his cell for the night and narrowing his eyes bitterly. "Haven't you done enough to her?" he hissed abhorrently. Giovanni merely smirked, and turned to leave, shrugging off the matter casually. "She was a complete mistake, and I do intend to get rid of her, you can't protect the little wretch for much longer James, don't think you can defy me," he answered coolly, to which James was forced to bite his tongue, "Someone lock him up, and James darling, give me what I asked for."

James snarled and flung the bloody shirt to the awaiting man, and carried Callie into his cage, making no move to struggle or protest as his collar was securely locked back into the bolt on the wall. The little Pikachu creature in James' arms whimpered almost inaudibly as the door was slammed maliciously shut by a miscellaneous scientist, and the blue-haired youth gently lowered himself to his cot on the floor, wrapping the thin blankets about her shivering body tenderly. "It's so cold," she whispered, pressing herself closer to her friend. "Shh, don't talk Callie, just go to sleep, it'll be alright I promise," James assured her, and ran a hand through her silky hair once.

Callie seemed to calm at his touch, and James held her closer, letting his own weary eyes droop with the warmth of her body and rhythmic breathing, stroking the crimson blots upon her cheeks affectionately. "Oh thank god, he was going to kill her," Deirdre's soft voice said, suddenly audible. James looked up, his stern expression never faltering as he regarded the scientist harshly, looking away from her kind and gentle smile. "She's dying anyway," he muttered bitterly. "What?!" came the gasped reply and James shook his head disapprovingly. "What is she Deirdre? What created her?" he asked, never taking his eyes away from the sleeping creature in his arms.

Deirdre drew in a deep breath and swallowed hard, the tears she forced away still apparent in her voice as she spoke after pulling a chair to the side of the cell to provide herself with more comfort. "Well, she, um, she was a very early beta testing version of the twilight project, where we decided to use a Pokemon and increase its power and intelligence with human genes. As you can see, it did not end well, and we had to put the other one down, a Vaporeon boy, because he became violent and a danger to himself," she whispered solemnly. "That's what's killing her, the different forces in her body, the human, and the dominant Pokemon ones. Each wants to assume the main control, but they're trying to drive out the foreign things in her body, and they're both equally strong. Sooner or later, they're going to completely obliterate each other, and its starting," James murmured almost inaudibly, "She's going to die soon."

Deirdre let her tears fall, burying her face in her palms bitterly and collapsing forward into her lap exhaustedly. "Oh god no Not more blood on my hands, not anymore," she sobbed softly. "That's what killed Butch, but why hasn't it killed me?" James asked, oddly placid. "II don't know, perhaps you were strong enough for your body to accept the transformation, or maybe it really is killing you too," Deirdre answered bitterly. "M-Mr. James has a beautifulS-soul," Callie's hoarse and shallow voice caused James to close his eyes remorsefully, and Deirdre to gasp. "What'd you say?" the violet-haired young woman asked tenderly.

Callie's pink and yellow eyes opened only slightly as she sat up against James' shoulder to grin mischievously at the young scientist, huffing haughtily at her look of utter confusion. "James is strong, a-and the soul who sings with his I-is found He loved, and was complete, so-so he can't die, he can't be hurt," she answered softly. Deirdre flinched visibly as she watched James frown deeply, the muscles in his jaw and neck rippling under his skin as he clenched his teeth firmly and looked at the little girl harshly. "Callie, Jessie's gone, and I told you I don't love her anymore," he assured the creature in his lap. "Now that's the biggest lie I've ever heard, sure you told me but I know that's not what you feel I felt your body just now when I mentioned herEvery muscle in your body just, twitched, and ya got tense" she stopped to chuckle slightly, "Like the first time you saw her I bet, when you heard your soul mate's song"

There was a disquieting silence as James sighed deeply and looked to the barred window of his cell angrily, and Deirdre's sniffing back of any further tears before Callie broke it with a cry of pain. "Callie!" James cried, genuine concern apparent in his voice. "J-James pleasePlease tell him, my beautiful Flame's child, tell him I love him," she whispered, her eyes closing not of their own accord. "Who is he? What is a flame's child?" was the response and Callie looked into James' dull moss green and subdued emerald irises remorsefully. Her expression was oddly lucid after her eyes opened once more, glassed over, and her breathing grew shallow, reaching up to stroke James' cheekbone gently with a claw. "You'll figure it out, I know you will, because you're going to get out of here, you're going to-to sing And I know your song will be the best one," Callie whispered. 

James and Deirdre glanced to each other briefly, their eyes meeting only for a split and terrified second before returning to the dying creature. "She's talking nonsense," Deirdre breathed fearfully. "Her body's giving out on her, she's not going to last much longer," James replied furiously, clenching his fist in front of his face bitterly, "Damn you Giovanni Damn you straight to hell." Callie sighed peacefully at James' infuriated seething, and closed her eyes one last time, wrapping her arms about his neck to hug him as hard as she could, kissing his cheek before her strength faltered, and she collapsed into his lap. "Thanks for loving me Mr. James, I'm gonna go to sleep now, will you be here when I wake up?" she asked brightly. James managed a small, but warm smile and nodded, brushing her hair away from her forehead and cradling her in a more comfortable position. "I'll be here Callie, I won't ever leave you, I promise," he whispered firmly. "Promise me one more thing," she continued, struggling for the last breath she so desperately wished to retain. "Anything," James assured her. "P-Promise me y-you'll Protect the world from devastation, unite all peoples within our nation, denounce the evils of truth and love, and extend your reach to the stars above."

James clasped a hand over his mouth in consternation, gasping sharply as the realization of who the little creature he had befriended was, and why she had seemed to know him so well. "Oh dear god," was all he could manage to croak, "Jesus ChristShe knows the motto." Callie smiled warmly, and chuckled softly, her body finally relaxing as she drew in one final breath to speak. "Next time you send that bastard who took me away blasting off againFind...Her," she sighed, and with a soft, tranquil exhalation, allowed the fires of her life to quietly die away.

"No," James breathed as he felt the lithe body in his arms gently let go, and watched her chest cease to fill with breath, "Callie no, youYou should have been able to see him againYour, your Flame's child. God even I could see how much you loved him, it's not fair, why must that rotten son of a bitch destroy so many people?" Deirdre shook her head in disbelief at James' soft and almost mournful words, and at the most emotion she had seen him show toward anyone or anything since the day he had killed Clyde in cold blood, covering her mouth with a free hand, and using the other to wipe away her tears. "J-James, I don't understand," she said timidly, "Who was she talking about?"

James shot an acidic glare toward the young trembling scientist and picked Callie's body up gently, noting her cheerful smile even in death, and shifting with a gentle rattling of his chains to hide himself in the shadows of his cell, his spiteful eyes never leaving their victim. "You of all people should know, and you're worse than he is, a spineless coward," he hissed abhorrently. "James, please don't say that, I had no choice!" she retorted, her frightened voice shakily rising. "Of course you did, liar, you didn't even have to courage to stand up to a psychotic old man! Callie's blood is on your hands, and so is the blood of the boy who loved her, and so is Jessie's, Meowth's, and Butch's, Cassidy's, and _mine_ It's on your hands, and Giovanni's, you were merely the helping hand at the end of his wrist with the intelligence and the mentality to be beaten back and to become a mindless slave of insanity! How could you Deirdre? How dare you rip so many people from their hopes and their dreams to crush them in your palm with Giovanni's hand over yours to give you the strength you needed to fully destroy it," James hissed from the darkness, his green irises illuminated with furiously blue psychic energy and the pallid moonlight, casting eerie shadows across his well-toned, defined features and pale skin.

Deirdre restrained her sobs, biting her lip apprehensively as she listened to James' contemptuous and oddly irrational sounding words, until she realized he spoke the truth. She looked deeply into his eyes and saw nothing but malice and hatred directed at no one but her spewing forth from the very depths of the soul of the man she loved with all her heart and soul, and had murdered. She was empty, a puppet, an accessory to madness, merely the means and the motion for putting Giovanni's plan into work, and she had done nothing to stop it, even when she had berated herself for allowing Butch's death at her hands. 

Deirdre stood up suddenly with her sudden knowledge and acceptance, upsetting her chair as she rushed to the side to the cell, gripping the bars madly and barely even caring that her heart was thundering so hard in her chest it felt as if it would burst. "James please, tell me, tell me that's not true!" she sibilated fiercely. "It's all true and you know it, now get out," James replied bitterly. "How many times have I told you that I won't go if you ask me? James I love you! Why won't you believe me!?" she pleaded, sinking to her knees with her sobbing. "You love me Ha, that's a joke! If you love me so much why did you do this to me?! Why did you kill James?" he replied, his tone even, and composed, "Unrequited love hurts doesn't it? I hate you Deirdre, and the organization you stand for with every shred and fiber of my being, now get the hell out of my sight before I decide to risk a little pain from this damn collar and kill you."

Deirdre screamed in frustration at James' final response and slammed her fist into the cold metal of the bars of his cell, splitting the skin on her knuckles open with the force, and not even bothering to stop to see why her hand was hurting so much, fled the room where she realized she had just lost her life. She sped away from the feeling of ill-being and times long past centered in the lab, the memories of James as a free and happy man, and the look of pure ecstasy on his face when he had told her in the elevator that he had admitted to Jessie what she had feared for as long as she had known him was true. She ran from the bitterly green surge of envy she had felt sear her mind and soul the second she saw exactly how happy being with Jessie had made him, and what she wished he would see in her. James looked at Jessie with such love, adoration, respect, and kinship Deirdre had longed for all her life, and since the moment she laid eyes on the beautiful blue-haired man, she knew she could be happy with no other.

The blind young woman had been so confident that with the experiment, she could draw him to her, but she had only ended up pushing her beloved further away, until at last, she knew he was gone. Her sobs reached a hideous crescendo as she continued to run, knowing her legs would carry her to her room situated on the ground floor of the branch of team Rocket headquarters they'd moved James to, and coming to the anguished epiphany of realization that she, had killed James. The man she had fallen in love with so long ago, the carefree and jubilant, though at times seeming just a little dense and clumsy, but all the more charming because of it person was long gone and dead, murdered by the organization he had faithfully if not regretfully served, and a woman who loved him. She realized too, that Jessie, his best friend, his one true love, had been slain by the Twilight Project as well, and Deirdre had been the one who had taken James away from both Jessie and Meowth for her own selfish purposes.

She reached her room's door after what seemed like hours of running, throwing it open and slamming it shut after she had entered furiously, screaming at the top of her lungs as she slowly sunk to her knees. She clutched the sides of her head savagely, tearing out a few strands of her curly light purple hair viciously, and throwing them to the floor, and ignoring the soft trickle of blood where her long and carefully groomed nails had cut into her scalp. She stood up suddenly, and looked to the small kitchen area provided for her in her temporary accommodations while working on the project and smiled, the glint of a dirty butter knife from the sink inspiring her.

She walked briskly over to the counter and drew the knife with the thickest handle, the largest blade, and the sharpest serrated surface, wrapping her fingers about the cold black rubber coated end slowly and deviously. She drew it from the rack with a giggle and turned it in the dim light reverently, the flash from the metal blinding her momentarily as she plugged the sink and furiously twisted the knob to turn on the water. "No more, no more death, no more pain, no more suffering, the last blood on my hands will be my own," she whispered brokenly, placing the tip of the knife on the soft flesh of the underside of her wrist.

Deirdre took a deep breath and closed her eyes, clenching her teeth and listening to her conscience as she quickly slashed through her skin, blood spurting out only briefly before steadying to a crimson flow. She quickly switched the blade into her other palm, tearing at her other wrist with a frustrated cry of sorrow, and a soul that had lost its way in life. She cried harder as she thrust her arms into the full sink, standing completely still and reverent save for her convulsing shoulders, watching the blood fall in a mocking scarlet cloud to the perfect white bottom of the basin only to explode in upon itself and further fill the sink with its hue.

She wept for James, and for not a body, but a soul she had so brutally mutilated, and played with before destroying it, and her tears were for Jessie, and Meowth, the other two souls so attached to James that she had inadvertently destroyed as well, scattered to the wind never to be complete again. She cried for herself, the girl who had wanted so badly to make something of her life, who had failed in one regard by consenting to join Team Rocket, and then erasing any meaning or goodness she had left to hold on to. Her life had no meaning, no purpose, and had been inexcusably used for evil so often it could never be rectified. She felt so dirty, and used, that she could think of no other escape besides death to finally clear her mind and body of her sins, and she cared not what happened to her afterward, she simply could not stand the betrayed and hateful emerald eyes of the man she once loved.

Deirdre allowed herself to sink wearily to her knees after a time, looking down to the bloody water in the sink and noting it was so laden with her life essence she could no longer discern the features of her hands. She drew them out and collapsed upon her side with a splash of crimson tinted water, turning her wrists over to watch the blood seep out of the deep slashes and spread in a pleasantly large and diluted pool. Smiling and closing her eyes as she realized she had indeed cut them deeply enough to result in death, and that she had bled too extensively to be saved by any means, Deirdre allowed the last breaths of life to begin leaving her chest.

She felt the warm wetness of her own blood, and the water she had left on and that had long since created a small pool on her kitchen floor and sighed warmly, finally feeling her dying mind at ease. "Goodbye James, and I'm sorry, perhaps we'll meet again someday, Callie, I'm going to take care of you, wherever you are, because I'll be joining you in just a moment, I'm so sorry for hurting you, and I hope you can forgive meGiovanni, may you rot in hell, forever to listen to the tortured screams of the people you destroyed James, I-I know you still love J-Jessie, and-and I hope you can find her, I know she can make you h-happy again, and happier than I or anyone ever could I just want to see you s-smile again"

Deirdre finished her last words to the world to the deaf, blind, mute, and uncaring walls and floor of her kitchenette, exhaling one last time peacefully before she allowed the warm and inviting light to overtake her. She smiled upon the sullen figure of James, who sat with a venomous glare cast to the full and beautiful moon outside his cell, arms crossed bitterly over chest, and still refusing to cry over Callie. She touched his cheek gently, and he closed his eyes softly, almost in reply, and the young woman smiled more broadly as she knew no more, letting the light seep into her being completely and lift her spirits. She felt a final surge of bliss she had once felt during life, and it comforted her, and she allowed herself to depart completely, leaving all her pain, her sorrows, behind in her wake, and another soul in pain, crying up to whomever or whatever would listen, begging to be taken back to the path of light. She ignored it, feeling the strength it possessed, and knowing that once the soul could find the light again, it would be the great downfall of the twilight that had fallen and darkened so many lives. Twilight always falls, she recalled, but beautiful and comforting dawn always follows soon after the darkest hours of the night, and so it would again.

To be continued

So you like? SO sorry again this took forever! I also have a question! How old does everyone think I am? If you know for a fact please don't answer, I'd like to know where people think my writing skills lie! (As an aspiring author its important to me to know, so PLEASE be honest!)


	7. Part 7

Author's note: Hiya all!Guess what?I DIDN'T die!^_^:::Audience boos:::Eheheh.. ^^;;Anywho, I'm really sorry I've not written in like, 2 months or so… But this chapter was actually damn hard to write!But it's good, oh is it good!We have some VERY much awaited events happening in this chapter!Jessie's back!And, will Jessie and James FINALLY be reunited?Well let us see!Please read and review! 

Twilight Always Falls

# _Strange how my heart beats_

_To find myself upon your shore._

_Strange how I still feel_

_My loss of comfort gone before._

_Cool waves wash over_

_and drift away with dreams of youth_

_so time is stolen_

_I cannot hold you long enough._

## And so this is where I should be now

_ _

_Days and nights falling by_

_Days and nights falling by me._

_I know of a dream I should be holding_

_days and nights falling by_

_Days and nights falling by me._

_ _

_Cool waves wash over_

_and drift away with dreams of youth_

_so time is stolen_

_I cannot hold you long enough._

_Soft blue horizons_

_reach far into my childhood days_

_as you are rising_

_to bring me my forgotten ways_

_ _

_Strange how I falter_

_to find I'm standing in deep water_

_Strange how my heart beats_

_to find I'm standing on your shore_

@---

"Ash, can we possibly get something to eat, and not have to put up with this incessant blubbering about losing one stupid match?" Misty groaned as the trio walked down the main street of Periwinkle Village, a town where upon reaching the outskirts of, Ash had been challenged by a young girl to a battle."Can it, Misty!I know she cheated somehow!How could a fire Pokemon, a _fire_ Pokemon, beat Squirtle?A water-type!There's no way!I had the advantage!" Ash whined, seething."Well, she had the advantage over you in brains," the redhead muttered disdainfully, and the chipper egg Pokemon in her arms trilled cheerfully."I guess Togepi agrees!" Brock commented amiably. 

Ash crossed his arms over his chest and stuck his lower lip out dejectedly, and pulled the brim of his cap over his eyes to sulk."Some friends you guys are," he whispered almost inaudibly, "I would have won if Pikachu were still here."Both Misty and Brock softened as they heard the genuinely hurt and mournful expression in Ash's sullen voice, their eyes meeting briefly in agreement to apologize for stirring memories of the beloved Pokemon stolen successfully by members of Team Rocket who definitely weren't Jessie and James."Ash, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, and we're trying with everything we have to find it, and I'm positive it'll turn up," Misty began softly."That's right, Pikachu is very smart, I'm sure it found a way to escape, and it'll come running back into your arms any day now!" Brock added with a smile.

Ash sighed deeply and looked up, reassured slightly by his friend's confidence and chuckled slightly."Almost makes you miss old Jessie, James, and Meowth, doesn't it?I wonder what ever happened to them," he mused thoughtfully, and drew a laugh from his friends.The conversation was light after that, and Ash even decided he could go for some lunch, so after asking directions and recommendations from a local Joy, the wound their way to a small café near the lush green park at the town's center.

They sat near the hedge which bordered the interior of the patio dining area from the sidewalk and had a pleasant lunch filled with laughter, good food, and most definitely gorgeous sights, until Misty noticed Brock staring intently across the table."Brock?Hello?Earth to Brock!Come in Brock!" she said loudly, and waving a hand in front of his face.He seemed to snap out of his reverie, and shook his head as if to clear it, but the concerned and almost disturbed expression he had worn before never left his face."Oh!Sorry Mist, what were you saying?" he asked brightly."Well what were you staring at?" Misty retorted irritably."That girl over there," Brock replied simply and Misty's head hit the table.

She snapped it back up quickly and pointed an angry and accusing finger toward the incredulous looking Brock, and ignored Ash's hysterical laughter to her side."Must you ALWAYS ogle every single pretty girl we come across?!" she shrieked, pounding her fist on the table and causing her silverware to rattle, and Brock held up his hands defensively."No Misty!Really!That girl is pretty of course, but that's not what I was interested in!" he defended with a wavering voice."Then what?" Misty asked in a softer tone."Doesn't she look, well, eerily familiar?" came the response and Misty turned around in her chair too look as well.

The girl Brock spoke of sat at a table a few rows away from the trio, and she sat alone, bent over a magazine as she sipped quietly from a steaming mug.Her long mane of crimson hair spilled neatly over her shoulders and back, its incredible length almost reaching the floor when she sat, and her soft and inquisitive azure eyes reminded the trio poignantly of someone they had not seen in far too long as she looked up to thank a waitress who had placed a dish of whipped cream on the table.The second afterward their suspicions were confirmed as a Meowth leapt nimbly from an unseen location to land neatly in front of the dish and begin to joyously lap the treat from the vessel.Though she wore a dark swirled purple shirt with long sleeves that widened at the wrists, tight dark blue jeans and a pair of stylish black boots, there was no mistaking the companion, or the red hair and deep blue eyes of Jessie of Team Rocket.Her hair now hung loose and wild, like fire, instead of the coil the group had remembered from long ago, and her expression seemed forlorn, her eyes dark and clouded with sorrow and pain, her visage one of a broken soul, or an angel with broken wings, but she was there, an entity from the past that Ash found stirred a long since dormant hatred and violence, and as he felt it spring back to life, he made no attempt to mitigate it.

A mutual gasp of shock and surprise rose from the group at Ash's table, and Misty turned about again to face her friends with her hands clasped tightly over her mouth, her face twisted in terror."You guys, t-that's-" she started, but Ash cut her off as he stood furiously."Jessie," he hissed abhorrently, "Of Team Rocket.""Ash don't!" Brock protested, but Ash's seat was already long vacant, and his audibly infuriated footsteps leading away.Misty and Brock's eyes met for only a second before the tacit agreement between them to follow, and abandoned their half-finished lunches regretfully to dutifully ensure their stubborn and forlorn friend caused no trouble.

Jessie sighed as she turned the page of the magazine she had been reading and leaned her chin into her hand, feeling Meowth's sympathetic gaze but not acknowledging it, looking up only when she heard a familiar voice."Hey you!How dare you show your face!"The red-haired woman's eyes narrowed as none other than Ash Ketchum, the twerp boy she hadn't seen in well over a year, sauntered up to her table and slammed his palms down atop it, glaring at her with the hellfire of hate burning behind his tired hazel eyes."The twerp, what the hell are _you_ doing here and why are you bothering me?" she muttered disdainfully."I'm here because you stole Pikachu and I want it back!" Ash retorted, sibilating.

Jessie smirked, and huffed at the boy, waving him off with a free hand as she picked up her mug and went back to the magazine."You're wasting your time kid, I never laid hands on that damn rat for more than three seconds thanks to you, some other vicious mean ol' Rockets must have taken your precious baby," she said mockingly, and Misty and Brock arrived in the nick of time to prevent Ash from slapping the young woman across the face."You're Team Rocket!So maybe it wasn't exactly you that took it, but you work for the people who did, and I'll do anything it takes to get it back, and get my revenge!" he screeched, allowing Misty to take him tenderly into her arms, turning him away from the mere sight of the woman that had sparked such a fury in his soul."I had nothing to do with stealing that thing!" Jessie proclaimed indignantly, "And frankly I resent the accusation!""I know what this is, this is just a scam to get the rest of my Pokemon too!Very clever Jessie!Now where is James hiding with the net, or the bazooka or the glue or hole or whatever the hell else you dimwits thought of?!" Ash yelled accusingly as he let the tears welling in his eyes fall, turning to Misty with a loud sob.

Jessie gasped, looked away at the mention of the name she'd not heard in far too long, blinked away her own tears, and clenched her fists, managing to look back around in confusion, looking up to Brock, who stepped forward to hide the now sobbing Ash, and taking it upon himself to elaborate further without causing his friend more pain."I'm sorry to bother you, but it is true Pikachu was taken a few months ago, about seven or eight I think, and it was by Team Rocket.We hadn't seen you guys in a while, and we let our defenses down, it was by some other members who really meant business.We contacted the police, but they haven't found anything yet, and probably have given up, and Ash is absolutely heartbroken, you'll have to excuse him," he said kindly to which Jessie smiled slightly."And why aren't you treating me like a criminal now?" she asked impishly, crossing her legs thoughtfully."Well lack of uniform, and ease in a public place I guess, you don't really look like you're still with Team Rocket," Brock answered amiably.

Jessie chuckled slightly and closed her magazine, motioning to the table where she sat, and moving a few of her personal items out of the way, beckoning the children to take a seat with her."Right on Brock, you're very observant!Now, why don't you guys join me for a bit, and I can try to make things a little better," she said making eye contact with Ash.She smiled, but Ash's scowl merely deepened, Misty hugged him tightly once more before leading him to a seat and taking the one next to his causing Meowth to be forced closer to Jessie, a frightened almost primitive countenance about his presence.

She sighed, and accepted the cowering Pokemon into her arms, cradling him gently and looking back up to the sorrowful eyes of the three children, holding up a hand to assure them they had not caused the cat to run."Don't mind Meowth he-We-We've been through a lot," she said quietly."Well I'm glad you managed to get out of Team Rocket, so, making a good life for yourself?" Misty asked, relieved."I wouldn't call it good, but we're surviving as best we can," was the mournful answer."Good life, hmph, yeah right, and what happened to your wimpy partner James?" Ash asked acidly."Ash!" Misty scolded, and the boy merely crossed his arms angrily over his chest.

Jessie drew in a sharp breath and let her stature drop visibly with a sigh, letting a single tear roll down her cheek at the question, and somehow managing to keep herself from looking down or away, clutching the warm metal of the golden locket at her chest.She looked at the trio with such severity and mournful sorrow, they could do nothing but hold their breaths as they awaited what they knew the answer was, and even though it took Jessie quite a bit to gather the strength, air, and courage to speak, her solemn words still struck all three a hard blow."James-James is dead," she whispered with difficulty, "He passed away a little over a year ago." 

No one had much to say after the revelation, and Jessie allowed her tears to fall freely, cuddling the also crying Meowth closer to her body in a vain attempt to console herself.She'd promised herself that she would try and cry minimally over her lost beloved, but seeing the people she had chased after with him, insulted with him, and had endured so much pain from that had been bearable only with his presence had somehow revived old feelings of nostalgia she had tried so hard to forget."Oh, I-I'm sorry, we didn't know," Misty said softly at length."And it looks like it still hurts, so we won't open old wounds," Brock assured her, and Jessie managed a small smile.

Ash snorted haughtily and tossed his head, whipping off his cap and running a hand through his unruly ebony hair condescendingly, casting the former Rocket a sly and contemptuous look out of the corners of his eyes."So what?James bought the farm oh boo hoo, you didn't care about the fairy!Anyone could see that!You wouldn't quit the team just because of him, I know you, you're not like that," he snarled harshly and Jessie's brow furrowed angrily."People change Ash," was her only response."No they don't!Team Rocket is evil!Former member or not, it always has been, and always will be!And so will its members," Ash sibilated."And you don't think I know that?" Jessie snapped, "I know how cruel they are far better than you do!Why do you think I'm not with them now?"

There was a malicious silence after Jessie's harsh and spiteful words, the only communication between the latter and Ash, their eyes locked with one another, spiteful electric hate passing between them."But you don't know how I feel, you didn't lose your best friend, and something you loved more than life itself!And I bet this is all a ploy too!I bet James isn't really dead!He's probably waiting somewhere to spring your trap as soon as you gain enough of our trust to get us to follow!Very clever Jessie, very clever indeed but it won't work," Ash said, finally breaking the silence, and Jessie noticed Misty and Brock wince at the words 'best friend'.She resigned to solely glaring daggers at the boy and reached behind her neck to unclasp the locket she had not taken off since the day she swore not to, making sure to show the trio what it was before closing it in her hand for comfort as she spoke."He _is_ dead and I-I did Ash… I did lose my best friend," she began with deathly clarity, "And someone I loved more than life itself."

Misty felt tears sting her own eyes as Jessie restrained her sorrows, her face remaining carved from stone and not bothering to bush away the abundant tears that streamed down her cheeks.She drew in a shaky breath and opened the rose encrusted locket in her hands, holding it out meekly so Ash especially could view the two photos clipped to fit snugly inside the two halves, and watched their expressions twist in sorrow."Ash, I _loved_ him, and Team Rocket took him away from me forever, how could you think I would even want to _mention_ the organization that would do that to me and on top of it demand I get reassigned to another partner and back to work after only one fucking day of mourning?!" she whispered, her voice breaking with her tears, feeling them fall harder as Ash laughed."One day huh? Very sad, so you cared about him, funny way of showing it… Now did he find pain enjoyable?Or was he just so stupid he didn't feel it?" he asked brightly.

Jessie snarled with anger and closed the locket with an angrily loud snap, pressing it against her chest as Meowth hissed angrily and bared his fangs at the boy."Meowth stop it!" she scolded, and the cat resumed crying as she looked murderously back up to the children, "Don't you dare say that to me, or about my James, the day he was taken from me was the day I _died_!"The hoarse and furious words settled over the group like a dark cloud of malevolence, their harsh tones ringing and echoing perfectly in their ears and they could only watch as Jessie struggled to gather the breath and composure to speak again, slamming her fist on the table spitefully."And James was not stupid!He was a beautiful, sweet, intelligent, kind, and caring man, and he only put up with my violence because he knew it's how I would react to the stress of Team Rocket!He wanted to save me, he wanted so badly for us to get out, so we could live in peace, so he could finally tell me that he loved me, too.He didn't know the only way he would be getting out was through death, and the only way I got out was running away only after I realized what it had done to us, after he was already gone.So if anyone here is stupid it's me."

Jessie buried her face in her hands as she finished her small tale, finally allowing herself to sob loudly, in no way consoled by Meowth's soft mewing and purring into her side.She held him close and looked away from the three others at her table ruefully, finally wiping the tears from her cheeks with shaking hands and looking back to the trio, smiling slightly with a half-hearted chuckle."I'm sorry," she said noting Misty and Brock's shocked and disturbed expressions, "It's just that, James died very suddenly, and-and I guess I still really haven't gotten over it."Jessie bowed her head dejectedly, and Misty placed a hand reassuringly on her shoulder and smiled as well, making Jessie feel slightly less alienated to see tears of compassion and empathy in her eyes."It's alright Jessie, Ash…Hasn't been himself since Pikachu was stolen, I guess you can understand," she said softly."I understand perfectly, and whether he believes it or not I know exactly how he feels," Jessie answered and Misty nodded sympathetically.

"What about you Meowth?You haven't said a thing since we got here, you must have been close to him too," Brock interjected softly.Meowth scowled at the tender, and kind hearted words, knowing the teen meant well by them, but unable to control an anger he could not place and the defensive bristling of his fur as he pressed closer into Jessie's body."Meowth won't speak to anyone but me," Jessie explained as Brock's face fell, "After James died, he promised himself he would only use his abilities for me, because it-it was something special between us three.It's nothing against you I promise."Brock nodded in understanding and Ash swallowed hard, the evidence to prove that James really was gone beginning to outweigh even his own inane suspicions that he was waiting around the corner with a fishing net.

He softened his look at Jessie as she engaged quietly in a conversation with Misty, smiling as his red-haired friend pointed to the gold locket clenched tightly in Jessie's grasp.The latter smiled as well, and opened the delicate pendant gingerly, resting it gently in her palm and holding it out for all to see again."James left it to me, it-it's the only thing I have left of his except for a few photos, his comic books, his bottle caps, and his uniform.We didn't really have much, but I can't even begin to guess at how long it took him to save to buy this.It was the only thing he truly cared about as well as his other things, but Meowth told me that he said it gave him strength, that maybe one day, he could tell me how much he loved me," she explained fondly."There's a stain on this one," Brock observed softly and watched Jessie's face twist at the mention of it."It-It's blood, his blood…He was wearing this when he died," she answered softly.Misty and Brock gasped in consternation, and both tried to speak several times, but each finding that their voice would remain caught in their throat about the circumstances of James' death, afraid of why there had been blood involved."It was a car accident," Jessie finally clarified, "He bled to death, all because Giovanni sent him out on an errand, an odd job…That son of a bitch always thought he was god…And I never even got to say goodbye.""Oh…I-I'm sorry," Brock stuttered apologetically."Don't worry about it, it's my pain, my sorrow, not yours," Jessie answered with a small smile. "He's kissing you, while you're asleep!Oh wow, you two really loved each other didn't you?" Misty whispered in veneration and Jessie nodded."Oh yes, very much, and I still do," she answered wistfully.

Ash gritted his teeth at last and clenched his fists, looking downward sharply at his dirty sneakers before casting an empathetic gaze back up to Jessie, who had a sad and loving smile on her face as well as tears as she looked at the photos in her locket."_J-Jessie without James, is like…Me…Without Pikachu.Oh god, and she has that same look in her eyes,"_ he thought to himself, looking at the deep pools of azure that belonged to the former Rocket.They held the same reflection and dimmed fire of a soul once happy, the somber and haunting beauty about them almost empty, and longing for something forever intangible and eternally out of grasp, dangling just in front of them mockingly.Ash knew the feeling all too well, and as he realized that she had lost much more than a friend, and perhaps someone she would have wanted to spend the rest of her life with, raise children, grow old, and die with, Ash let his impending tears roll down his cheeks as he looked back up to her."J-Jessie?" he ventured at last, and the young woman turned to face him, only a slight hint of annoyance lacing her voice as she spoke."What?" she asked as kindly as she could and Ash lowered his head so the brim of his cap covered his eyes."I…I'm so sorry about James, and I'm sorry if I made it worse," he said softly.

Jessie smiled warmly at the boy, as well as the gasps of surprise from his friends at the unprecedented event of an apology, and reached across the table to put a hand tenderly on his shoulder."Hey," she whispered amiably, "I don't blame you for seeing evil in me, but it looks like we both hate Team Rocket with a passion, because it took something away from both of us that we loved.But you should look on the bright side!James is dead, gone, and buried, and though I wish like hell I could go back in time and tell him not to leave that morning, he died, and there's nothing I can do to change that, but I know for a fact Team Rocket doesn't even kill Pokemon unless it's absolutely necessary, so I also know Pikachu is still alive.You can find it Ash I know you can!It's just a matter of time before you guys will be in each other's arms, tears of joy running down your face like there's no tomorrow!"

Ash mirrored Jessie's smile vaguely and nodded, tears of empathy, hurt, and anguish running down his cheeks as he realized what a strong person the crimson haired woman was, and even though she had lost her beloved James, her fierce determination to survive willed her on.He realized he must learn from her, make her strength his own, and find his lost beloved, for though Jessie had lost James forever, and would never again feel the love he sensed must have been so strong, she seemed to know that pain was not the end of everything.She had a certain noble air about her and Ash knew she felt empty inside, that she would grieve for eternity without him, but that she possessed the knowledge that many people overlooked, that the afterlife, and the common belief of bliss after the tumult and turmoil of life, would welcome her back into the arms of her soul mate with warm adoration and acceptance.Perhaps, Ash thought, she was only trying to forget the extreme and sudden loss, or denying still that it had happened and that her death was still far too out of her grasp to even think about, but Ash caught the meaning of what she was trying to tell him.Her subliminal message of finding his own inner strength she saw, and that he should never let something he loved fall from his grasp as she inadvertently had, and not to become the hollow shell of a person he knew she felt like."You're right, Jessie, you're very right, and I-I have to be strong for Pikachu," he breathed softly and at length and Jessie actually chuckled good-naturedly at him."There!You see?Sitting around and whining about it isn't going to get your buddy back, I've shed plenty tears for James, and I'll continue to, but I've got to hold on, just like you do too.He wouldn't want me to live a life wallowing in misery, he'd want me to get up, get my dream job, go out with every guy who asked me, though I'd NEVER do that, and make a good life for myself out of my former one of crime.I still love him with all of my heart, and I could never betray him like that, but a life doesn't last forever, so I like to think of it as a temporary separation," Jessie explained brightly, "Wherever we go after we die, be it heaven, or some other undocumented paradise, or hell, I know James will be there, and he'll be waiting for me."

"Oh, Jessie," Misty breathed, "Oh, Ash…""Wow, I mean, I had no idea…I always suspected that James was, well…" Brock trailed off, afraid to finish."Gay?" Jessie did the work for him, "Don't worry about it, a lot of people did.He was just…Very pretty, a very beautiful man, and he was very sensitive.He loved art, and poetry, and beautiful things, but just the way he told me he loved me, the way he held me, it was all just too wonderful…""You two really were deeply in love," Brock added fondly."Yeah…" Jessie trailed off, and glanced to a clock situated in the interior of the café and gasped, startling Meowth from her lap, "Oh!Crap!It's been great talking to you guys, believe it or not, but I've gotta get home, you guys have someplace to stay tonight?"

Without thinking after finishing her question and not bothering to wait for a response, Jessie stood to gather her things, leaving the money for the coffee and lunch she had ordered and finished before Ash and his friends had shown up, then glancing warily at the trio who wore nervous smirks upon their faces."We uh, weren't intending to stay here for long," Misty started, but stopped as Jessie held up a hand."Say no more, I insist you stay at my place tonight," she said warmly and Meowth looked up at her injuriously. "R-Really?You sure?" Brock asked warily."Absolutely!I can set all three of you up in my living room nicely, and it'll at least be better than the Pokemon center or camping out right?" Jessie said gesturing over her shoulder."We'd love to, Jessie," Misty affirmed softly and the group gathered their things as well, as casting one last cynical glance over his shoulder as Brock lingered behind, his face crimson with embarrassment.

The young breeder directed his attention to his shoes and put a hand to the back of his head nervously, clearing his throat to speak, not even noticing Jessie roll her eyes amicably."J-Jessie?I-I just wanted to, you know, offer to-If you ever feel you need-Well, if you decide to-You know, see someone?I-I would be more than-I wouldn't mind…" Brock trailed off, embarrassed, and Jessie shook her head, placing a hand on his shoulder affectionately as she led him after his friends and out of the café."It's very sweet of you to offer, but you have to understand.I'm still in love with James, and I-I just can't let him go.I made a promise to myself to wait for him, and I'm not going to break it," she answered solemnly.Brock smiled and nodded in understanding, chuckling softly to himself as he rejoined his friends, following Jessie and Meowth's lead to wherever she would take them and followed dutifully, striking up a light conversation with both the former Rocket and Misty.Ash however lagged behind, staring at the gentle swishing of Meowth's tail, the cracks and variations in the pavement, and eventually, the laces on his sneakers, mulling over the impeccable words of courage he had just heard from Jessie's mouth.He was comforted by them immensely, and somehow seeing the former Rocket so forlorn, and perhaps even carrying with her a mauled, twisted, bleeding and broken soul, he felt had somewhat dulled the pain.He sighed and frowned, knowing it wasn't because he willed revenge upon the unfortunate woman, but the fact that there was someone else in the world who had suffered as he had, at the hands of the same organization, and who refused to let their beloved go as well, made him feel less like a psychopath.Ash looked up to her one last time, and smiled sadly as she turned over her shoulder to say something to Brock, and caught merely a glimpse and a glint of her crystalline Sapphire eyes, followed by a bolt of glossy crimson as her loose and fiery hair followed her head to face forward again._"She's gorgeous, her body and her soul,"_ Ash breathed to himself, _"James was a lucky guy, still is, to have a woman like that in love with him, and I'm sure if I had gotten to know James, I would have said the same thing about him."_Ash finally breathed in contentedly, jogging slightly to catch up with his friends and join the conversation on the way to Jessie's house, forgetting for a moment the sorrows that had befallen his life.He talked easily at last, finally trusting the young woman, and realizing she knew all too well how he felt, but though she smiled and laughed with them, Ash would never forget the excruciating pain and the haunting look of sadness in her empty eyes. 

@---

Blue, all he could see, for what seemed like an eternity stretching ahead of him was a vast endless sea of the deepest most beautiful cerulean blue he had ever seen in his life.He laughed joyously at the sight, a sound quite alien and long absent from his ears and dove into the benevolent miasma, letting it embrace him lovingly, filling his senses with a brilliant light and a pleasantly soft touch that caressed his body sensually and adoringly._"I love you, I'll always love you, I'll never let you go…"_A gentle and beautiful voice filled his ears with its melodious and whimsical tones, and the blue became streaked with a shimmering crimson, and he watched with a genuine smile on his lips as it entwined itself around his body, exciting all of his senses."I don't know you," he answered, closing his eyes in a blissful reverie and sexual pleasure, "Oh god, oh I love you too, don't ever leave me, I need you, I love you so much."

The blue laughed, and swirled with golden color to solidify in front of his weary eyes into the amorphous form of a young woman, the crimson streaking to her long mane of hair, the blue draining from her body, leaving it milky alabaster as it retreated to her sparkling sapphire eyes.She stood majestically before him, clothed only in the euphoric light behind her as she walked toward him, arms outstretched to receive his embrace warmly and smiled, her eyes dancing with a mischievous and loving light as he took her tenderly into his arms."You left me!" she cried softly, "I've looked for so long, I thought I'd never see you again.""I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!I promise I'll stay forever, just don't ever let me go, please please don't let me go," he replied, tears of joy streaming down his cheeks.

The woman pulled away slightly and smiled, putting one hand behind his head adoringly to bring his lips to hers, kissing him as passionately as she possibly could, her own tears mingling with his as he kissed her back."Please, I need you, I want you, make love to me, I need to be close to you," she whispered between kisses."I'll stay forever, don't let me go," he whispered back and watched his world explode into a flash of light.

He heard a sigh of pleasure as his eyes were able to focus again, and caring not where he was and knowing only the ethereal golden light spilling down upon him and his beloved and the seeming cloud they rested in, took her into his arms to pledge his eternal love to her forever."I love you, I love you more than anything else in the world," she assured him, loose crimson hair spilling in a cascade down her bare back as it flowed through his fingers.He kissed her passionately and held her tightly to his body, echoing her moan of pleasure as their bodies became one, laying her down into the soft satin of the cloud they floated in, and reveling in the feeling of his body inside of hers.She snaked her arms about him to ensure he would stay close, murmuring his name with each slow gentle thrust of his hips between her legs, hearing her own name back yet not, for neither knew what they were saying to one another.

He closed his eyes in absolute rapture, feeling his breath come short in his chest, tears of joy, and sweat of exertion drip down the sides of his face as their lovemaking reached a brilliant climax, exploding with one final rush of pleasure and passion as they both fell back to the cloud, breathing heavily with pleasant exhaustion and holding each other as close as possible.He felt the almost non-existent kisses fly gracefully over his neck and chest, allowing the woman to gently lay him down beneath her instead, pressing a finger to his lips before he could protest and grinning at his small gasp of delight and surprise.She straddled his hips and smiled impishly down at him, a small movement of her lower body allowing him back inside of her, and bending down to gently and lightly kiss his stomach, her hair spilling onto his body like fire as she continued to his chest and finally on his lips again.He welcomed the soft velvety touch of her lips anywhere she would place them on his body, and matched the movements of her hips gently, almost afraid of hurting her, but yearning for the sheer bliss she had offered with her love and body.He wrapped his arms around her adoringly, whispering her name into her ear and sighing softly in pleasure as his hands trailed listlessly up her back, but opened his eyes for what seemed like the first time in months as he felt something foreign in his palms.

He pulled away from his beloved only slightly, watching her expression shift from euphoria, to confusion, then to utter horror as she witnessed his jaw drop at the sight of a pair of gossamer wings spreading great lengths from her back.She gasped in consternation and drew back, standing up swiftly and backing a few steps away, not even bothering to cover her naked body and using her hands to conceal her mouth instead, folding her wings as far as they could go behind her."Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" she whispered brokenly.He sat up at last, reaching for his beautiful angel and calling out to her, but found that when he tried to stand up to comfort her, the golden cloud they had just been making love in had begun to close around him, swallowing his body slowly to make him one with its sovereignty over the skies."No!Please!I love you, don't leave me!" he called but gained no response from the woman just barely out of his reach."I'm sorry, I have to go," his beautiful angel said at last, turned over her shoulder with a fiery burst of crimson hair and fled."No!No please!NOOOO!" he screamed as his vision filled with light, and another voice was audible.It was black, and distorted, hardly sounding human and he suddenly felt himself falling, his world fading to black and stomach lurching as he plummeted to the ground._"Lazy, worthless, good-for-nothing!"_He let his tears fall freely, and allowed himself to be consumed by the darkness and the vindictive voice, knowing that the angel he had given himself to was gone and that nothing but darkness awaited him wherever his plunge should end.

"Specimen 616!It's about time you got up!"Through the darkness and the occasional voice that spoke within the blackness of the world of dreams, a foreign and agitated voice rang out."Speci-" it trailed off before it could finish again with a frustrated sigh, and the rustling of paper could be heard."Twilight Project subject beta?So they don't call you by your specimen name…Pfft, odd, and stupid if you ask me," it said again.Light slowly began to filter through dull senses, and as the specimen in question slowly became aware of his surroundings, he shied further back into the reaches of the eternal darkness of his lair."Okay, name, name…Where is, aha!James!James, Giovanni has requested a private audience with you!"

James frowned at hearing his name, and opened his eyes fully at last, not quite sure of where he was, or even who he was at the moment, flinching as the rattle of his chains echoed perfectly in the silence.Hearing it alerted him of his body and as he moved again he felt a sudden twist of fear in the pit of his stomach, the blissful feeling of making love to his beautiful angel fresh in his mind.He shook his head gently to clear it and put a hand to his forehead, lustful thoughts of her still in his mind and still quite aroused by the erotic dream, yet the intangible image slipped away and he sighed in frustration as he could no longer remember the face of the woman.Resigning to his fate, James sighed dejectedly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes with his forearm, yawning and raising an eyebrow at the ray of sluggish and orange light coming in through his window, watching the dust motes float lazily to the floor."W-What?Why me?" he asked groggily at length, and barely even realizing what he had said, or who had answered to."Do not question it!Just get up as instructed!Boy he really let your discipline sink to a new low didn't he?Too bad, the idea of a creating a Pokemon and human chimera as an assassin was truly ingenious," the harsh voice quipped and James finally looked to see who it was.

Instead of the kind and soft voice of Deirdre as he was accustomed to waking up to every morning, it had been replaced by a harsh and vindictive toned voice belonging to a thin wiry woman with jet black hair tied back tightly behind her head in a bun.Her cold and dark brown eyes peered from behind thick glasses as they glanced disapprovingly in James' direction and then back to the clipboard she held in her arms as she scribbled something down with a pen.He instantly sensed her hostile and callous natures, and even the fact that she had called him a chimera, a creature blended of many and generally regarded as evil, though he realized only then it was true, caused a spark of fury to be born in James soul."Who're you?What happened to Deirdre?" he queried, yawning.The woman rolled her eyes and crossed her arms across her chest, obviously annoyed, and pushed her glasses further up her nose with a bony middle finger."Deirdre was found this morning in her apartment in a puddle of water and her own blood.Turns out she slit her wrists and had been dead for quite some time before another scientist found the brat, and as for me, my name is Darcy and I will be your caretaker as of now," the woman replied haughtily and James pressed a hand to his chest.He gasped in terror and shook his head in disbelief, news of the warm, loving, violet-haired scientist's death hitting him like a furious slap across the face, barely even believing what he had heard."Deirdre, no…Callie, then…Then Deirdre too?She-She killed herself over me, over what I said to her…But, it was all true," he whispered to himself and Darcy cleared her throat agitatedly.

The blue-haired man shot a virulent glare in the direction of the new scientist and sighed, rising from his cot solemnly and making his way to the front of the cell, leaning against it casually and staring abhorrently into the icy eyes of the woman.They stood there for what seemed like hours, tacit hatred passing between them, until James found her silence quite irritating and tossed his hair at her condescendingly as he turned away. "Well are you going to let me out or not?" he asked peevishly.Darcy scowled and nodded, pulling the key from a ring in her pocket and jamming it into the lock as she glared malevolently one last time at the chimerical assassin, throwing the door open with a creak to step inside.James met her halfway and pulled back the collar of the black coat he always wore to reveal the lock and chain attached to the metal collar he wore about his neck, allowing her to free him of merely the chain and escort him out of his cell.

"Follow me please," Darcy said quietly and James bowed mockingly, allowing her to step past him and show the way.The woman brushed past the weapon rigidly, picking up her pace slightly to stay far ahead of the sound of his steady and nonchalant footsteps, swallowing hard and fixing her glare straight ahead and promising herself not to look back until James was safely in Giovanni's office

James shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat disconsolately as he passed the open door covered in tape and peered inside to see a few Rockets mopping up the still bloody floor of Deirdre's kitchen and muttering various disapproving obscenities at the job."Deirdre, I'm so sorry, rest in peace now," he breathed softly and directed his gaze back to the linoleum of the hall.He found himself suppressing a sick and falling feeling in the pit of his stomach as he was roughly thrust into the sterile white temporary office of Giovanni, kept spotless for his few visits to the forest complex, and swallowed hard as he lowered his head submissively."You wanted to see me sir?" he asked quietly.

James flinched as he heard the gentle rustle of fabric as Giovanni stood up, and the door slammed shut behind him with a malicious thud, body trembling slightly in fear of the black figure that moved almost seductively toward him."I'm terribly sorry about the Pikachu thing and your beloved scientist," Giovanni began softly, cupping James' chin in his hand, "But you should have known they'd leave you eventually.You belong to me."James desperately to look away from the devious and amorous eyes of Giovanni as he forced him to look into them with a slight stab of panic tearing through his body, feeling his knees weaken as his master forced him against the wall."You killed them, not me," James answered sheepishly, but with a definite air of defiance in his words.This caused Giovanni to smile wickedly and trace his hand gently down James' chest to his belt, fumbling with the clasp teasingly and grinning passionately at his possession.

"Please, don't," James protested weakly pressing his back harder against the wall, but Giovanni silenced him with a gentle finger to his lips."You're very beautiful, and very perfect, did you know that?My James, my pet," was the only response, James' eyes widening in terror as Giovanni caressed his cheek lovingly.Jessie had been the only one to call him, "my James" and hearing it from the man who had ripped him away from his love, his happiness, and his life sparked a fury for revenge in James' soul which he had not the courage to exact, merely whimpering pitifully as Giovanni's hand moved between his legs."Don't do this to me, I beg of you, you've done enough," he pleaded softly."Oh James, don't you know?" Giovanni replied in ecstasy, his eyes shutting with pleasure, "I'm the only one who will ever love you, not that idiot Deirdre, or that whore Jessie, they're both gone now, and its for the best.Deirdre was a pathetic weakling and Jessie, well, she was a raving bitch who did nothing but hurt you.You belong to me James, you're my creation, my possession and my slave.You can't ever have anyone but me, give in to it James."James squeezed his eyes shut so hard sparks and fires danced in his black vision, willing the torment to stop with ever fiber of his being as Giovanni pressed his lips to his after speaking.The blue-haired young man fought the urge to bite the foreign tongue that entered his mouth then vomit upon the foul creature who dared defile him in such a way, but only when Giovanni seemed to enjoy the terrified tenseness of his lithe and muscular body did James feel truly ill.

The kiss continued until the chimera could no longer handle the gentle movements inside his mouth and the almost harsh and lustful caress between his legs, turning his head sharply away as Giovanni pulled slightly away."Damn you," he breathed with difficulty, eyes widening as the rough and callused old hands moved deftly up his chest.They found the collar of his black trench coat and slid gingerly underneath it, bringing it off James' shoulders before moving down to his belt, leaving the thick black fabric to hang between flesh and the floor on James' elbows."Shit!Don't, please don't," he breathed, panic rising in his voice."Oh James, just give in to it, you know you want me to, and I want you, I want you so bad I can taste it," Giovanni breathed, the only sound following the gentle jingle of metal against itself as the silver clasp of the belt finally came undone.

James held his breath and looked away as he felt Giovanni's fingers gently twirl themselves into his silky cerulean locks, a hot crimson blush rising in his cheeks, and his body trembling ever so slightly with fear and loathing of the beast in front of him as he prayed silently to anything willing to listen to make the torture stop or to strike him dead on the spot.It seemed the fates were on the blue-haired young man's side, for the moment his master reached for the last barrier that stood between himself and his much desired prize, a gentle knock sounded at the door, and he was forced to look up."What do you want?!I told you I wished to be left alone!" he cried indignantly to which he was answered by a shocked gasp.James saw his chance and backed away, pulling his coat tightly over his shoulders once more and falling to his knees, bending over as far as he could go, wrapping his arms over his head as if to shield himself, the utter humiliation the only thing present in his panicked and frightened mind.

Giovanni's expression shifted to one of hurt as he watched his creation rock himself gently on the floor, muttering something incoherent and too soft to be heard, hands wrapped wretchedly in his tangled blue tresses.He sighed softly to himself and moved to open the door, biting his tongue bitterly one last time to clear his mind of any further lustful thoughts and feeling only mildly guilty that James seemed so disturbed by his actions.

The knob twisted easily and he flung the door open only a small crack angrily, allowing only the side of his face to be seen by the terrified young man on the other side.Giovanni looked harshly at the youth with a critical sneer, and the boy responded with a widening of his soft, playful brown eyes and running a hand through his equally warm colored earthen hair as he cleared his throat delicately."Yes?" Giovanni snapped, to which the boy straightened considerably."Uh, sir!A-Agent Mondo reporting sir!They found out the information you wanted, sir!" came the stuttered reply, and the younger Rocket held out a small, tightly sealed manila folder to his employer."Ah!Thank you very much, now, resume your duties for the day," the man hidden in the shadows crooned brightly, waving Mondo off with his hand as he turned back inside the office."Y-Yes sir, but please, don't hurt her…" he replied, but his soft words were heard only by the dark red wood of the door.

James looked up from the floor at last, and held his coat even tighter around his body as Giovanni sauntered gingerly toward him, grin plastered across his face as he read the information inside the folder he had long discarded to the floor."Oh dearest James, I do believe I have a lovely job for you!This one should be the most fun out of any I've sent you on!" he chirped brightly.James merely huffed loudly and looked away, attempting to hide his expression of disgust and unwillingness, but he was forced to lock eyes with the man he loathed more than anything in the world as he felt his chin cupped lovingly in a rough hand to force him to look in the direction it desired."You will do this, and you will have fun," he hissed, pressing a slip of paper into James' palm, "This is something that should have been done much too long ago."

@---

A lone soul stood on the balcony, watching the sun's annual death at the end of the day reverently, losing herself in the burst of blood spattered about the horizon at the fiery disk's vain attempt to retain a grasp on life.She watched as a light wind blew her equally blood colored hair across her vision, and sighed loudly as she brushed it across her cheeks and behind her ears, hands stopping only briefly on the pair of emerald green studs she always wore in her pierced ears.Twilight finally fell in front of her eyes and she turned to go back inside, a particularly cold winter wind cutting through her body as she slid the glass panel to her apartment from the balcony shut and she shivered, looking mournfully one last time to the slowly darkening horizon."Another day gone, more hurt, more pain, this damn cycle never ends…James, I miss you so much, why did you leave me?" Jessie whispered pressing a hand to the icy glass before turning to go answer the door for the pizza she had ordered for her guests.

Jessie forgot the pain briefly as she talked brightly and easily with Ash, Misty, and Brock over the cheese and pepperoni laden slices of pizza, apologizing profusely for her lack of prowess with cooking utensils."I can eat what I make, but I'd never serve that slop to a guest!" she laughed amiably."That's perfectly alright!We're just grateful for an old friend and a nice place to stay!" Misty replied."Well this is hardly nice, but I'm glad you'll be comfortable!" Jessie answered, laughing still, and her ease gave the rest of the weary travelers a sense of good times long past.The evening passed pleasantly, and after watching the same movie Jessie had admitted her love for James at the end of, the friends decided to turn in for the evening.

Night fell over the small apartment slowly, the pale silvery moonlight filtering through the sheer curtains of the open window fluttering in a midnight breeze to trace over the gentle curves of Jessie's body under the thick quilt she slept under, and flickered in the dim shimmering of its iridescent sheen as she turned over, unable to sleep.The young woman opened one Sapphire eye experimentally to glance at the digital alarm clock and groaned as she noted it read exactly midnight, stuffing her head beneath her pillows with a frustrated oath.Suddenly unable to breathe, Jessie sat up furiously and scowled at the gray carpet of her bedroom, and then to the balcony lit with an almost ethereal light from the full moon and sighed, casting a furtive glance to her open door to see if her guests were asleep.

Jessie could see nothing, so she gently slipped from bed, shivering as the cold air cut into her only slightly clothed body and the short, pink satin nightgown she had worn the night she had spent nestled in James' arms and the last one they had spent together.She padded softly into the living room and cast a gentle smile down at the three children coiled tightly together for warmth and felt a sudden sense of comfort, somehow, the fact that she had finally found souls from her past, familiar and friendly ones, making her feel just slightly less lonely.Turning back on her heel, the red-head pulled the blankets more tightly about Ash, ran a hand through his hair affectionately and proceeded back into her room, noting a puddle of water on the bathroom floor she swore had better be gone by morning.She closed the door and crawled gently back into bed, careful not to disturb Meowth and snuggled closer to his body, breathing in the warm scent of his fur before closing her eyes to sleep."Meowth, it's going to be a much longer and harder road, but I think that we'll be okay," she whispered quietly, and soon fell into a deep and relaxed sleep.

@---

Ash awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed with a sharp gasp of consternation and confusion.He pressed a hand to his chest and glanced down to see Misty and Brock sleeping peacefully at either of his sides and, temporarily forgetting where he was, searched about his surroundings with wild eyes.His gaze finally fell upon his jacket draped over the arm of the old, faded blue couch and the empty pizza box on the coffee table and the knots in his stomach released as he finally realized and remembered what had happened.

The boy considered briefly checking on Jessie and sat up completely, turning in the direction of her room to merely peek, but leaping to his feet at what he saw.A black amorphous form of what seemed to be water loomed before him, bent maliciously and rancorously toward the closed door of the back bedroom as it slithered from the bathroom located in the hall and swirled with color, forming a rough silhouette of a man.It finally solidified with a dull pulse of light and left in its wake a slim, but muscular man clad in all black, save for the utterly distinct and reviled bloody "R" embroidered over his heart, and as he turned to meet the boys gaze, Ash felt the color drain from his face with the recognition of the icy blue jaggedly cut blue hair and piercing emerald eyes.

A spark of recollection flared in the intruders eyes for a spilt second and he took a small step forward, stern expression never faltering as Ash took a step toward him as well, fists clenching tightly at his sides while he willed his eyes to burn a hole through the Team Rocket insignia emblazoned on the long trench coat."It's you, isn't it?" the boy asked defiantly receiving no answer from the strangely familiar man, "I know its you, and you're still with those bastards that took Pikachu…Jessie told us you were dead, and I wish you were."The man flinched at the words, the name and their meaning ringing hollow in deaf ears and he lowered his eyes abhorrently, glaring daggers at the young boy he had not seen in so long, answering simply, "I am dead."

Ash snarled under his breath at hearing the velvet voice he knew belonged to only one person, and though it was low, mournful and subdued, there was no doubt in his mind as he lunged forward, picking up the knife left in the pizza box from cutting it and barreling toward the man with tears in his eyes."You killed me, and now, James, I'm going to get my revenge for what Team Rocket did to me!" he screamed.He flew through the air to where he expected the blue-haired demon to remain, but watched with wide eyes as James phased out of view and his own body went hurtling through the empty space the rocket had once occupied.

Ash regained his balance quickly and whirled back around wielding the knife, blinded with an indescribable rage he could not control with seeing the person he knew had betrayed Jessie, and helped take his beloved Pokemon away from him."James!Show your face coward!" he yelled, searching frantically about only to find his arm gripped securely from behind."Ash!Calm down!" Misty's voice rang distantly in his roaring ears and he whirled around to face her.The young girl drew back at the sight of her friend, teeth bared and black hair wild, looking more like a snarling beast in the silver light than a human, and with a demeanor just as animalistic, he snarled loudly and turned to the kitchen window where he was just able to see a rapid blur of cloaked shadow pass nimbly past it."Shit," Ash breathed and dashed toward the door, running down the hall with only one goal in mind.

"Ash!No, wait!" Misty cried, reaching out to him, but was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder."Misty!Brock!What in the hell just happened?" Jessie asked, suddenly audible from behind the terrified duo."We don't know, Ash was screaming and then he just-" "Follow him, " Misty found herself cut off."But-" Brock protested but was answered only by Jessie's pointed finger and a sharp demand of, "Now!"They dared not protest, and nodded in unison as they bolted after their furious friend, leaving Jessie alone to phone the nearest police station, for Ash had not been the only one to catch a glimpse of the seemingly living black shadow.

James winced as he felt the ground beneath his feet once more, clenching his fists together furiously as he gathered his bearings noticing only then the glittering sharp points of light in the winter night sky above him."Shit!Where the hell did the twerp come from?Great, there goes my chance of calmly saving whoever it was I was killing," he muttered to himself, suddenly feeling a gentle breeze waft through his hair.James shook his head gently to clear his thoughts and of the sudden terrifying feeling of nostalgia the boy had instilled in him, and the sinking suspicion of why they were staying in the particular apartment, and whom it belonged to tearing at his psyche rabidly.He found himself to be walking calmly to the edge of what he then recognized as the top of the apartment complex and peering over it cautiously, wondering how much it would hurt and how quick a death it would mean for him should he jump.

The chimera slowly sank to his knees at the very edge, letting the freezing updrafts of indifferent and apathetic wind carry the loose strands of blue hair about his pale face gently, and sighed deeply feeling almost as if he should do something he hadn't done since the day he had taken the one life that had changed his for eternity.He quickly decided against it, and instead raised his burnt and scarred hands to his face, scowling at the marks from various attacks and the small reddened and constantly irritated areas at the bases of his palms where the vines found their leave into the world."What am I?What did he do to me?" he breathed softly and buried his hands in his pockets bitterly, "And what is that fucking kid making me feel like this?"

James squeezed his eyes shut tightly, trying to drown out the furious voices and sobbing inside his head, cursing Giovanni for bestowing the powers of psychic Pokemon upon him, for the attacks they possessed caused him the most pain the learn, and drained the most energy and emotion from him.Emotions he had tried to forget had been instilled deep within his soul with seeing the familiar boy and his friends, reminding him of the love he thought he'd forsaken, was relieved in the knowledge that he would be haunted by it no more, but yet stabbed at his heart with pangs of longing and regret.It was not the same love he had cherished however, but a dull ache in the pit of his soul, and what drove James the most mad at the moment, was the realization that he did not know why he suddenly felt so angry.

Clenching his fists contemptuously in front of his face, James watched his vision fade to black with fury, unbridling the hatred toward the world and all of its creatures for the first time in far too long.Careful to repress the perturbed scream that seared the inside of his throat, James stood, visions of Giovanni, Deirdre, Callie's dead body and other people of his new life flashing across his blinded eyes, and not even feeling the soothing winds toss the black fabric of his coat majestically about his body.Framed in the moonlight, the man turned slowly over his shoulder to face the boy who panted heavily at the door to the fire escape, his stolid yet unwavering expression somehow clearly crying out a message of sorrow, guilt, anger, and odium, narrowing his subdued emerald eyes abhorrently."James, I swore I'd get revenge for Pikachu, and you're perfect, I'm sorry Jessie loves you so much, but I can see now you betrayed her too.You are the lowest piece of Team Rocket slime I've ever laid my eyes on," Ash hissed virulently.

James took a gentle step forward and stood proudly and almost derisively to his full height, he severe gaze focused only on the soul who dared spark such a fury in his naturally gentle and broken soul."Ash, you're in way over your head this time, you don't have a clue what you're dealing with.It would be much better if you forget about Pikachu, and me, forget about Team Rocket, they have ways of getting what they want and you are most definitely not an object," he said plaintively."Do you think I would believe you?" Ash snarled in reply, "After what you helped do to me?After lying to your best friend and the woman who loved you?Who still does love you?""Whether you believe me or not is no matter to me, your aggressions and resentments are sadly misplaced," came the snide remark without answering the many questions fired at him."Don't fuck with me James, don't even dare, I'll kill you, I don't care who finds out, I won't be happy until one of us is dead, and I don't intend on dying until I have Pikachu back," Ash seethed with the blade of the knife pointed harshly at him and James' expression softened.

He took a kind step forward, sudden compassion rising to meet the anger and pacify it enough to ebb the rage, and allow the severity of the situation and take control, holding out his hands defensively."Ash, please, calm down, this isn't what you want," he soothed gently."Like hell it isn't!All I want is the satisfaction of feeling your blood on my hands!" the boy retaliated fiercely, drawing the long kitchen knife into the moonlight as if to prove his point."Ash, you can't win, Pikachu is gone, please let her go," James pleaded, "This is no way to get justification for what happened to you or to Pikachu."Ash assumed an aggressive stance, glaring at the regal form bathed in otherworldly light before him, his aura of intelligence, wisdom, and eyes that had already seen all a man could take in a lifetime radiating outward like a halo from some fallen angel.His own brute hostility and snarling beast like manner seemed suddenly crude to him, and furious that James had insulted his pain one last time, Ash readied his blade and straightened his stature."The only justification I'll ever need," he began, placing one foot behind the other to spring forward, " Is your blood!"

Time careened to a halt as James' mournful emerald eyes widened in terror as with a furious cry of bloodlust, utter abhorrence, and bitter sorrow poured from the depths of Ash's soul and finally out his lips, the chimera watched in almost slow motion the slight form of the child hurtle through time and space to plunge the knife into its target.Left with no other options, James executed a swift teleport and phased out of harm's way, and just as before, Ash hurtled through the empty space so dangerously close to the edge of the building and launched his body into flight.The screams no longer resounded over the cold barren desert of roofs as Ash felt his body loose all tangible form and let the winds carry all sounds, sights, and pain upwards and away from his mind.The boy smiled peacefully one last time, barely even feeling the tears he shed whip upwards to be lost in the infinite strata above him and let his body plummet, his last thoughts of his beloved Pokemon he could just barely see in front of him."_Pika…Chu, we'll always be a team_," he thought to himself, and followed the exuberant cries of his partner.The blackness rushed to meet Ash and he felt a brief second of excruciating pain before it enveloped him completely, a single light dancing seductively in front of his eyes.He followed the light, and knew no more than euphoria and the tearful cries of a Pikachu somewhere he knew now he could reach.

James dared not look over the precipice where he had just seen the young boy careen off to his inevitable death, instead, wincing at the bloodcurdling scream from the street below and clasping a hand to his mouth.He took several steps backward, shaking his head in disbelief and anguish, running the other free hand through his hair as he turned his back to the edge of the building."No, no not another life, no more blood on my hands, please, oh god please don't let me be responsible for a fourth life," he whispered but the loud sobbing he recognized caused him to squeeze his eyes shut with a meek cry of despair.James sunk slowly to his knees, gripping either side of his head as if it would help to ease the pain, to dull the shock and mitigate the guilt and fury rising in the depths of his soul, throwing his head back and screaming as loud as he possibly could."No…" he breathed quietly, "NOOO!"

Allowing his body to slump plaintively over itself, James wrapped his arms about his waist in a meager attempt to console himself and drive away the now raging and icy winter winds, and could do nothing but stare blankly at the door to the fire escape rising like a arbitrating monolith in the barren space of the rooftop."I'm a murderer," he whispered emotionlessly, "A cold hearted killer, an assassin, the ultimate weapon, The Twilight Project, James leBlanc has been dead for over a year now, and it's time to let him go."The chimera stood with his own words, closing his eyes and pressing two fingers to his forehead to focus his energy for a teleport, he knew that no matter what he could possibly tell himself, the person he had once loved to be had been the fifth victim of his blindness.

With the amount of energy he needed to flee, James took a deep breath and prepared the long teleport distance in his mind, but a small gasp from a mere feet in front of him caused the fingers to drop, and his eyes to open.What he saw standing in front of him, framed in a brilliant halo of crimson hair and the dim lights of inside the stairwell and clasping both hands to her mouth and completely disregarding the torrent of tears that cascaded down her cheeks, caused his eyes to widen, and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach to intensify so greatly he had to put a hand to it."Oh...My...God..." the young woman breathed, leaning against the doorframe for support, "J-James?"James recognized the terrified sapphire eyes of someone who had haunted him only in his fleeting memories and torturous dreams, the specter who had been wounding him, taunting him, tormenting him, and the beautiful yet pale face of a spirit from his past, jaw dropping open with only a single utterance, "J-Jessie?"

She drew back at his verbal response, hardly recognizing the seeming holy and divine ghostly shell of a man she saw before her, standing majestically and staring evenly at her with tortured and subdued emerald eyes.She sank to her knees, knowing nothing but the torpid and tormented gaze she had once been able to lose herself in, feeling nothing but love and happiness of a soul who had found its mate for eternity, but now feeling nothing but ice behind the dull, glassy jewels."No, oh dear sweet mother of god, I'm dreaming, I'm dying, I'm dead.No, my James, he-he can't be alive, this can't be, it just can't be!" she sibilated brokenly, watching as her vision swirled with colors and light.The black apparition moved toward her gently like a shadow of death, and stopped close enough for her to reach out and touch, but finding she had not the strength to do so, closed her eyes and allowed the darkness to overcome her body gratefully.James reached out to his lost beloved wistfully as she collapsed and lost consciousness, but quickly withdrew his hand, ashamed of what she had seen him as, and knowing they could never be together again.They were two different people, in two painfully different worlds, realms of light and dark, regions of good and evil, fire and ice, chimera and human, beauty and the beast, Jessie and James.

Deciding not to leave her out in the frigid winter night upon the rooftop, James walked slowly over to her and knelt almost reverently before his fallen angel, gathering her cold, lithe and slender form into his arms and picking her from the dirty tiles.He stopped for only a moment, gazing harshly at her pale and twisted face, feeling her loose and fiery crimson hair billow about both their bodies in the icy wind and felt his own face contort with horror, and almost empathy and sorrow."Jessie…" he breathed painfully and looked away, unable to stand the sight of her any longer, and to reduce the time he would have to endure the pain of her being, decided to teleport down to her room.He freed an arm for the act and quickly pressed two fingers to his forehead to focus his energy in his brain and selected the attack, holding Jessie tightly to his body as if he were afraid of losing her somewhere in the folds of dimensions he traveled with no ease.The ground was a most welcome feeling under his feet after a split second of intense sensual stimulation that had wracked his body horrifically the first time he had attempted it, and after only a moment to clear his senses, he realized that he was indeed in the apartment he had been in before, and it did belong to the red-haired woman in his arms.

With a small sigh, James immediately laid Jessie's unconscious form gingerly on the bed and smoothed her silky crimson hair away from her twisted face with the utmost tenderness and reverence, as if she were some perfect and revered goddess he was not allowed to honor his eyes with the sight of, much less touch.She stirred softly as he shied away, whispered his name under breath and reached out in her dream, tears sliding from beneath her closed eyelids almost drawing the same from the blue-haired man's as he turned to go, sighing regretfully and mournfully while he pulled his coat about his shoulders more tightly."James, please…Don't go, don't leave me again," Jessie's oddly soft and subdued, almost child-like and pitiful voice froze the chimera in his tracks and he turned slowly over his shoulder to meet the tearful azure eyes he'd not seen in eons.The woman he had seen on the rooftop, the one laying before him like a lethal weapon apt to strike at any given moment, his beautiful strong Jessie, his Amazon warrior, he suddenly understood with fury, fear, and sorrow, had indeed been slain by Giovanni, and she had died the same day he had well over a year before.He bit his lip apprehensively with the realization, shrinking back like a threatened animal as Jessie reached out and laid a hand gently on the side of his face, her own countenance one of shock, and almost terror, but a hidden joy deep within her soul, sparked by hope and flared with seeing her love again was apparent in her eyes."Is it really you?Am I…Am I dreaming?Or dead?Because…You're dead, James you left me, you can't just…Come back, now!You…You can't…" Jessie sobbed brokenly, to which James could only sigh."I'm sorry, but the man you knew is dead, don't fret, don't suffer anymore, he died very quietly and painlessly with your name on his lips," James answered solemnly and gently slid the cold hand off his cheek.

The man turned to go with his words, closing his eyes remorsefully and feeling the tiny sting of tears in the corners of his eyes, but was forced to stop as his hand was gripped by the one he had just brushed away."No!Don't go, I know it's you James, please, please tell me what happened," Jessie pleaded."I…"James began, turning about to face her once again, his once stern and somber expression finally breaking and twisting with pain, "I can't, you wouldn't understand."He hated seeing the once assertive and vivacious woman so broken, so torn by sorrow, loss and regret, the air about her conveying all to James so clearly, as he drew back he was aware of a hot trickle of a tear down the side of his cheek.He gasped and wiped it away with the back of his hand quickly, frowning as he shook his head in an attempt to clear the pressing feeling of despair rising in the pit of his stomach, and could do nothing but sit heavily next to Jessie on the edge of her bed."Do you think I fucking care if I understand?James, I thought you were dead!I thought my life was over, done and I was just waiting around to die, but I knew that you would have wanted me to live, I was only living with your memory because I…I knew how much you always wanted me to be happy.Please tell me what happened to you, and I don't care what happened outside, just please, help me, help us," the red-haired woman assured him, taking his gloved hands and turning his face to hers.

James' lip quivered and he allowed a small sob to escape his throat closing his eyes to clear them of the tears as he gently lifted the blood red 'R' for Jessie to view."So, you're still with Team Rocket," she breathed bitterly with a frown, and James cringed at the contempt and almost disappointment in her voice."But not by any choice of my own Jessie, this…"Death", was all a deception…A blatant lie by a psychotic old man to cover up his own twisted wishes," James answered softly, pausing ever so often with crying, wondering why the tears slid so rapidly down his face, and why he suddenly felt he should be euphoric to see his love, but yet completely empty and alone.He knew they still belonged in separate worlds, and somehow seeing her again had reminded the young man of all that had transpired, who he belonged to, and the torment and humiliation he had come to accept as fate.So sure that suffering was what he deserved, James had forgotten the beautiful crimson specter, and she had existed as only a bloody memory of a reoccurring dream, a fleeting moment of joy on a television lit couch and a kiss he would feel for what seemed like eons.The light had exploded in a cataclysmic fury, swallowing one and batting the other out of harm's way, toying with two innocent souls like its toys, as if it were sovereign over all it saw, and as James lost himself in the pools of blue that reminded him so much of yet another fleeting dream, he allowed a small scream of fury to escape his lips and soul.

"Giovanni," James seethed through his tears, cold resentment giving way to the hellfire of rage engulfing every fiber of his being, "That…That son of a bitch…He thought he could be God, some divine creator, and he decided to play with both of our lives for his own sick benefits."Jessie drew back in fear at the sudden unleashing of pent up frustration, her own tears falling again as James leaned his forehead onto his arms crossed over his lap and said no more, simply cried, laying her hand gently on his back."That bastard!How dare he?!I hope he's happy…James, what happened?What did he do to you?" she repeated again, running her hands through his silky blue tresses and smiling as she let it pour through them like glimmering strands of fine material, missing the feeling of him doing the same for her.James responded to her delicate touch, and sighed deeply, sitting up only enough to extend a wrist outward and allow the thick green stalk of his vinewhip lash out into the frigid air of Jessie's bedroom."This, is what happened," he muttered abhorrently, and it was all the red-haired woman could do to keep from collapsing to the floor.

Jessie reached one hand out to touch to seemingly simulated, or hallucinated vines extending from the wrists of the man she had thought dead, and covered her mouth with the trembling free hand, "W-Why?" her only utterance."Because he's a sick, tyrannical, selfish old man," James began slowly, "I'm an object to him, nothing more, no more than his twisted experiment to gain more power, or at least that's what he claims.Jessica, I've had to kill myself to survive, this…This is the first time I've cried in over a year."Jessie could only hold James' sobbing form close to her own, tears running unabashed down her cheeks to land in the silky blue locks of the top of his head, which he had allowed her to cradle gently beneath her chin, stroking his back in a futile attempt to quite him."Oh James, oh my god, James I'm so sorry, but it'll be alright now I promise, you're back, that's all that matters," she whispered tenderly."No, it won't, Jessica, I can't stay, I…I have to go back to Giovanni now, please let me go," James answered bitterly."I lost you once James, and it almost destroyed me, I would be an idiot to let it happen again, please please don't leave me again, just let me hold you, even if its only for a minute more," came the tearful reply, and James' tears fell harder.

The chimera felt the familiar warmth of the crimson specter again embracing him, the woman he had killed by breaking his promise, and brutally murdered in a bloody reoccurring dream he could only remember vividly with seeing her again.She was times long past, she was love, and a shining beacon of hope, goodness tearing through the black miasma of evil he had allowed to envelop his heart to salvage him, rescue him, liberate him, and still love him.Holding Jessie at last, James finally realized what Callie had meant, and why he was still alive, running one hand nervously through her hair as he spoke, "Jessica, I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I murdered you, I failed you, I broke my promise!"He felt almost as if he was sinning to merely look upon her, much less touch her, hold her thin muscular body in his arms and smell the sweet fragrance of her hair he had long forgotten to the stench of blood and medical equipment in his enclosure.She almost glowed in the moonlight pouring like a river of silver through her open window, casting rippling shadows across her wracking body as she cried, and he made no move to stop himself from embracing her tightly."James…Oh James," was all Jessie could manage to reply as she threw her arms about his neck and allowed her being to be saturated in his warmth and the feeling of light and love finally returning to her empty soul.

The two people said no more, merely clung to the shred of a memory, gone in a fleeting instant to suddenly return when it was long forgotten, but never extinguished in a blaze of glory, the darkness submitting at last to a single ray of light from a pair of valiant sapphire eyes to a pure yet broken soul.Regret and loss, self-deprecation and the pressing, gnawing, bitter feeling of worthlessness and futility were all slain by a holy warrior shrouded in the garb of a uncorrupted being to vindicate an existence, and liberate a soul, and the shattering of the barrier of ice James had placed around his heart could almost be heard in the deathly silence as he lifted Jessie's chin to direct her eyes to his."Jessica, I must leave now, and please, I beg for your trust, though I broke my solemn oath to you long ago, I will never break another promise," he began softly, but paused as Jessie gently caressed his cheek with her hand."I believe you James, I know you'd never willingly hurt me, but please, please promise never to leave me again," she said plaintively."I can't do that, but I will promise one thing," James answered, standing up and turning to face the open balcony window, where the flashing lights of the ambulance and other vehicles and the wailing of sirens could be seen and heard clearly.

The chimera sighed deeply and walked to the edge of the high concrete and metal precipice, peered cautiously over the edge, and, satisfied that the emergency crews and police were too distant to see him, leapt elegantly to the top of the coiling railing."James wait!Promise me what?James don't go!Damn it!Don't do this to me!Come back!" Jessie cried as she rushed from the bed outside, and reaching out to James' black form framed by an aura of moonlight, stopping only when he turned over his shoulder with a sad and miniscule smile on his lips."Jessica Burkely, I swear one thing to you, I will come back," he said reverently, a small spark flaring behind his emerald irises which looked as if some of their life had been breathed back into them.Jessie let her tears fall again as she pressed a fist to her chest and nodded, gently fingering the locket she still wore around her neck and stifling a sob at the sight of her beloved James turning back over his shoulder, the breeze tossing the black coat majestically about his frame.The being in front of her looked more like a demon, once an angel savagely torn away from grace to be infected with evil, but his heart never quite becoming black, an innocent soul forced to the ways of darkness than the James she had fallen in love with, but as Jessie watched him spread his arms gracefully to accept the winds into them, she knew that he would keep his promise, and that soon would come a day where she would hold her beloved in her arms again.

Without another word, James' muscular body coiled and he sprung with a lissome and graceful dive into thin air, not even staying in the area long enough to hear Jessie's small shriek of terror and then gasp of confusion to find nothing but empty space between herself and the street below.She looked over the edge to the dingy and severely dilapidated street she had the misfortune of living over and saw nothing but the red and blue lights of the ambulance as it sped away, the dumpsters of a nearby restaurant, and a few stray Pokemon picking at the meager bits of refuse still edible.Jessie hesitated only a moment, watching a single tear roll from her cheek and into the infinite black space below her and turned to go back inside, still feeling James' emerald gaze upon her, and that she had finally found what she had been looking for since her beloved had died what seemed like eons ago to her.She smiled slightly and closed her eyes, wrapping her hands wistfully around the locket around her neck and walked slowly back inside, not even turning over her shoulder to see if her black angel was still there, and knowing his eyes were still upon her.She closed the glass panes of glass to the balcony and smiled as she drew her sheer curtains over it standing by the coolness radiating from the chilled winter's night outside, pressing her back against the doors gently."James, after almost a year and a half, you show up out of nowhere as an assassin, half Pokemon, and yet, you're still James.Your eyes are dying, but I know in time, you'll come back to me and we'll both be happy again, because my James never broke promises, ever, and you still are my James," she breathed tearfully, and finally turned away to go back to bed, not even noticing a small streak across the moon, and a mournful whistle of wind for a young life lost to be reunited with another.

James touched down to the street gently, bathed in the dull orange light of a street lamp, exhaling gratefully and watching his icy breath hang sharply in the air in front of him coiling in on itself and dispersing in a crystalline burst.He turned on his heel to cast a wistful gaze back to the apartment building, and seeing its dark and ominous, yet strangely benevolent and loving looming stature in the confines of the analogous city, he smiled. "Jessie," he whispered under his breath and reached a hand out as if to touch her once more, and the chimera made his decision.He clenched his fist in front of his face defiantly and reluctantly banished the genuine and much missed smile from his lips his crimson specter acknowledging the change in his spirit, and his long forgotten will.James once again felt the warm touch of happiness on his heart, if only for a brief wonderful blissful moment, but something inside of him exploded in a brilliant flash of light and he knew then what his duty to himself, and the rest of the world was.He allowed his genuine smile to creep back onto his lips as he spotted a red rose bush in the garden of the building and crouched by it, moving the leaves until he found a spot he could place his fingers to snap it off.Pressing the fully bloomed flower to his nose and inhaling deeply, he stood again, and began his slow trek on foot until he would teleport back to the Team Rocket base, closing his eyes almost in rapture with its sweetly romantic scent."Heh, roses, damn have I missed them," he mused lightly, but stopped beneath another street lamp as the full realization of what he had said permeated his psyche; he had forgotten.James had meant to forget, for he had known nothing but pain, and he had accepted it as fate and forsaken the simple pleasures that had once had so much meaning.Tears once again stung at his eyes as he remembered why he had adored roses so much, and cursing himself and Giovanni for what they had both helped do to his soul."A pawn, a game piece, a toy…" he began softly, his only audience the winds," That's all I ever was to him.He thought he was a god, he thought he could manipulate and control me, break my spirit, and he thinks he's succeeded!But a god has no power if no one believes in him, I never did, and I never will, I believe in Jessie."James knew that since he had seen the light again, he could find the way bath to the path of it, and walk alongside the woman who had been by his side all along.He had danced with the darkness, betrayed it and himself, he had fought with the devil, and was more determined than ever to deliver the final fatal strike and end his misery forever.Hope, once long charred, its ashes scattered to the wind had returned, and deep inside his being, James could almost feel the love he knew Jessie still had for him, though he thought perhaps she too had forgotten, and the wind now whipping across the barren cityscape almost fanned the embers of his will back to life.He nodded to her, as if she could see, and pocketed the rose as he placed two fingers to his forehead, closed his eyes to concentrate and without another word or thought, phased into nothingness and was gone.The first golden rays of dawn began to filter through the mountains guarding the small city protectively finding the sidewalk empty and touching the cold grays of the night and illuminating them in brilliant pastel shades of morning.Night knew it must retreat to the sovereignty of the light, for if it was present, unless there was something to block its paths, darkness could not exist against the presence of the greater force.Light enveloped the miasma of the darkest hours of the night and vanquished its solemn dirge of broken souls, for twilight had long since fallen, as it always had, and it had been followed by the ebony evil of blackest pitch, but after the seemingly endless reign of despair as darkness, dawn always broke upon the world, and all seemed right again.

To be continued…

(And BTW, in case ya'll was wonderin', I'm 15 years old!^_^;)Please review!


	8. Part 8~ Final

Ahaha

Ahaha!!!I LIVE!!!!**Cough hack sputter** anyways, yes!I have not died!I'm sooooo sorry I'm such a deadbeat about uploading my stories!But here!I got a whole 33 page chapter of the ending!No more cliffhangers!No more dying to see what happens!It's ova!Yeah!Anyways, I hope you enjoy the final installment of this tale of love, courage, and manipulation!Read on!

Twilight Always Falls

Final Chapter

Part 8

_There's no time for us_

_There's no place for us_

_What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away from us?_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_There's no chance for us_

_It's all decided for us_

_This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_Who dares to love forever?_

_When love must die_

_But touch my tears with your lips_

_Touch my world with your fingertips_

_And we can have forever_

_And we can love forever_

_Forever is our today_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_Who wants to live forever?_

_Forever is our today_

_Who waits forever anyway?_

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The thick odor of cigar smoke permeating the room caused the cream-colored cat to hack slightly, huffing air harshly through her nose and shaking her head rapidly in a vain attempt to clear it; for the foul stench pestered her keen senses further, and she was forced out of the lap she had been forced to occupy.The man released her willingly, and chuckled to himself as he watched his Persian skitter out the door hissing once and sneezing, laying her ears back as far as they would go angrily as he puffed another breath of coiling gray mists her direction and was gone, the door shutting of its own accord behind her."Heh, stupid cat," he chortled lightly and swiveled brightly about in his large chair to face the dawning horizon just visible outside his office window.Pressing his palms together thoughtfully, he leaned forward gently, looking past his haggard reflection and out to the world where his brainchild was free and subservient under his complete control to strike fear into the hearts of the people."I have power now," he whispered to himself, "It finally worked, vengeance is finally mine!I will be feared."

Giovanni could no longer repress his exuberant and throaty laughter and allowed himself to do so merrily and freely, propping his feet up gently of the glisteningly white windowsill nonchalantly.The wicked smile of sheer pleasure never left his translucent lips as he returned to his work, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck prickle with the impending rush of eerie psychic power and almost sensual pleasure.He knew that he had sent his assassin to kill a shadow of the past, and felt that once his last string to the outside world had been severed, James would submit to him, and be made his for eternity.

The odd sound of energy finally permeated the silence in the wake of the insidious laughter, wailing to a high and rapid crescendo before diluting back into silence in a mere fraction of a second, and Giovanni smiled once more.He turned to face the young blue-haired man he knew would be there, and as a precautionary maneuver, furtively hit a small button beneath his desk to activate the metal restraints about his neck."Hello, sir," James greeted warmly with a smirk, which Giovanni promptly mirrored."Why good morning James my dear!Have you brought me what I asked for?" he replied, slightly confused as to why the conversation had begun so cheerfully.

James said nothing and lowered his eyes deviously, hope burning in his heart as he gently propped his elbows on his very baffled looking employer's desk, staring intently into his eyes with a defiance Giovanni had never seen behind the strangely glittering irises."And what if I haven't?What would you do then?" he asked mockingly."I do not like your tone James, please, just give it to me," Giovanni responded hastily, holding out his hand."And what makes you assume I have it you cowardly old man?Maybe she got away!She escaped from you, the infallible Giovanni right?She is quite the resourceful little thing isn't she?That's only a few of the countless reasons why I loved her, why she was my best friend, and why I didn't kill her," came the virulent and scornful answer followed by a shocked and weak gasp."You wouldn't!You defiant son of a bitch, how dare you!" he screeched, and even the nimble bodied chimera had no time to react before Giovanni's enraged fist collided with his face and sent him reeling back into the wall.The older man howled in fury and slammed James' back as hard into the surface it had just roughly crashed into as his aging body would allow, not caring that his prized possession cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground, electricity writhing about his body."Damn you!Why, James?" he screamed, kicking him in the side as the crackling of the collar's defenses subsided.

James suppressed another cry of pain, and managed to lift his body from the ground, ignoring the thick dripping of blood from his nose and the corner of his mouth and merely looking up with narrowed and utterly hateful eyes."Because you…ugh…You never had me under you control," he answered softly and didn't flinch as Giovanni picked him up by the collar of his coat and pinned him to the wall."NO!That's not true!Stop fucking with me!" he snarled, to which James only smirked and laughed."Oh you wish you dirty bastard.I never killed any of those people.The only blood on my hands is my own," he replied sneeringly and in an oddly composed tone."Shut up!" Giovanni roared and slapped his victim across the face, sending him to the floor.He looked back up quickly and resiliently, but was only met by the tiny abyss of the barrel of a gun pointed directly between his eyes and the small deathly click of it being cocked.James scowled bitterly at the man above him and shook his head, looking away in disgust then from the twisted face and finally wiping the blood from his own face with the sleeve of his coat and only when he refused to answer did Giovanni speak again."Well?Say something!I know you couldn't have let everyone go.Please dearest James, this joke has gone quite far enough," he said at last and the chimera turned to face him.The flames of hate could almost be seen behind his fierce and wild emerald eyes as he stood slowly under the cold metal of the gun barrel, smiling as he felt his frustrations, his sorrows, the pain and torment he had endured from one man all shatter within his newfound strength.He realized then it had been himself that had been subdued, he had told himself to forget, and he had, but since the previous fateful night he had found a brilliant beacon to lead him back to his long forsaken path of light.He took a defiant step in the righteous direction, finally finding the courage to say something he had longed to for his entire experience as the Twilight project and smiled, pointing an accusing finger in the pleasingly terrified looking Giovanni's direction.

"This is no joke you sick tyrannical old fool…I never killed anyone, ever!Every time you sent me out, I had them give me a shirt, I cut them a bit and healed them as best I could, soaked it in blood, and took them to a safe place, every last one of the people you sent me after is living and breathing and going on with their happy lives.They may have a scar, but they all enjoyed life, and I gave back to them what you wanted to uselessly throw away!I am NOT your bringer of death, your upholder of apocalypse!I am NOT _yours_ to begin with!I never was, I always had my own mind, and thanks to me, I've now SAVED more lives than you could possibly remember!The Jennies you sent me after, the Joys, all the Pokemon researchers who were close to discovering anything you didn't like, Jessie, they're all alive…And you were wrong!Wrong, damn you, wrong!You thought you had me crushed beneath your pinky!You thought Deirdre and Callie would be the last straws, you thought I was a weakling, and that'd I'd give up!But who's the weaker person Giovanni, someone who can be oppressed and overcome it, or someone who must oppress to feel complete?In the end, you lose, even if you kill me, lock me away for the rest of my life, you'll have to live with the knowledge that you failed, and that you're forever damned in the eyes of so many people," he snarled rancorously and Giovanni could do nothing but stare, "YOU LOSE!"

He dropped the gun slightly and released it, looking away as he cupped a hand over his mouth slightly and paced stiffly back to his desk, opening a drawer and tucking the weapon neatly inside.He sat down at the deep red table silently, and folded his hands in front of his face with his index fingers raised protectively over his twisted mouth, looking at the still tensed and apt to strike James balefully and with flames of hate flaring behind his empty irises."I…I can't say that I'm not disappointed," he began, slowly moving his hand beneath the desk.James noticed the discrete movement, snarling and lunging forward with a cry of, "NO!" before stopping directly in front of the sadistically grinning older man as he felt the first volts of electricity course through his body, his scream of pain echoing in the deathly silence that followed the raging blue blaze that engulfed the young man as he fell with a sickening thud to the ground."I tried James, I really tried!I loved you, I made you a better person!You were a failure before!Why would you forsake me?" Giovanni asked evenly, a trace of genuine hurt and disappointment in his voice."You broke my soul, you filthy….son of a bitch…You killed my best friend, and you did it all because you…you just…ughn…You just wanted…to-" James' pained speaking was again cruelly cut off by a swift course of electricity through his body and a blood-curdling scream, Giovanni's expression carved from cold and indifferent, uncaring stone as he gazed at the convulsing chimera at his feet, kicking his ribs sharply.

The motion was reacted to with a spattering of blood from James' mouth and a desperate gasp for a painful breath, air barely able to enter the youth's burning lungs past his suppressed screams of agony and clenched teeth."You fool, you utterly imbecilic bastard, that is NOT the reason you betrayed me!Now tell me!"Giovanni roared, again picking the limp body at his feet from the ground and brutally slamming it into the wall.James cried out weakly in pain, ignoring the stream of blood from his mouth and nose trickling thickly down his face and gripped the hands pinning his shoulders in a weak attempt to alleviate any of his agony, looking murderously into the cold and black as twilight eyes in front of his own."I-I never betrayed you…" James began softly, his eyes drooping and voice lowering with pain, and his body losing the struggle for consciousness, "I simply realized that I'm not what we both thought I was.Jessie made me see that…I..Ughn…I just needed to…Stand up for myself, and realize that I couldn't live like that anymore.I'm not a strong person, I never was, never will be, but everyone has the ability to survive… Everyone has a reason to go on… And now that I realize that I know why I'm still alive…"Giovanni's perplexed gaze softened ever so slightly as James grinned mischievously, an air of defiance and victory lacing his entire countenance and backed away from his chimera, letting him slump to the floor with a final gasp of relief at his feet, kneeling and cupping his chin in his palm to force the blue-haired man to look him in the eye again."And why do you go on living if this is so terrible?If you really are such a free spirit, if I never had you?Why?" he sibilated abhorrently.James merely smirked harshly, raised a single index finger in front of his face mockingly, winked, and answered, "Now that, is a secret."*

Giovanni's bellowing in absolute fury caused James to wince and look away, almost cursing himself for being cocky at the end, and knowing that it would more than likely spur an unpleasant end for himself.The chimera, however, cared little then what his fate should be, for a shimmering phoenix, some mythical and all-knowing creature of light had burst in freedom from the binding chains he had put about his own heart, lighting his way in the forest of darkness at midnight, as if he had finally found the path of light for only one brief moment at the end of his life to comfort his torn and battered soul.He no longer felt as if he had betrayed his best friend and himself, instead knowing he had finally avenged Callie's and Deirdre's deaths, and rectified the mistake Giovanni had made so long ago by beginning the Twilight Project by standing up for himself for once in his life.The fire of the electricity screamed through James' limbs once more, but no sound exited the lips of the body it wracked as it fell to the floor one last time, calmly and complacently lying and waiting to be relieved of the last shreds of pain, and James smiled."Don't cry anymore Jessica, I've already been healed, all I want now…Is for you to live," he whispered longingly and closed his eyes, feeling his own hot tears run down his cheeks; not tears of sorrow or despair as the first had been, but rather, James realized, tears of pure joy.

Light had found his soul once again, and the young man felt saturated and cleansed by it, his sins and scars of the past fading and bursting into nothingness with a flurry of desperate sparks, never to be rekindled into the hellfire of hate that had once consumed him.James had chosen his own path, he had seized control of his destiny, and he was finally satisfied with the knowledge that he had proved the tyrannical old man wrong and that, contrary to what he believed, he had never been under his control."Take him to the lab, I'll deal with him there," he heard Giovanni's seemingly distant voice bark, and he suddenly felt his limp body being lifted roughly.Light danced before his blurring vision and he reached out to the warm inviting points of light with a genuine smile playing on his lips, the second that day of the first ones he had allowed himself and closed his eyes, welcoming the embrace of darkness that was for once, kind and benevolent.

* Please excuse the blatant and inexcusably irritating Slayers reference!^_^;

@---

The day had dawned hours before the sunlight had found two people in a strange apartment, clinging to each other, the only memories they had left as they sobbed their sorrows freely amongst friends.In opposite corners of the room stood two women, both with tears of sorrow in their eyes, one for family, the other for a shred of a memory, a flash of icy blue hair and a liquid black miasma in the hazy residue of a fantasy she thought was so real.It was so fantastic she could not help but feel she had indeed held the other half of her mutually shredded and rendered soul in her arms, but when she had awoken from it, she could remember nothing but his haunting and tormented emerald irises and splashes of vibrant color.The cold ice of his hair, the black miasma of his body, and then, the blinding white of a feeling of falling as she had heard of the malevolent crimson that had spread beneath her own feet, darkening the fissure she had been so sure was the embrace of love and happiness once again.

Jessie's icy skin barely felt the scalding tears slide down her cheeks at the choked sobs of Misty and Brock from her couch, whispering the name of the ebony haired boy lying mangled in the morgue of the local hospital, brilliant hazel eyes once opened wide in acceptance of death, now closed to the world forever.They faded however, as her gently gazing sapphire eyes fell upon the soul standing silently in the corner opposite her own refuge, deep mahogany hair falling over her mournful eyes, arms crossed over the body that had once bore a child, that had once held the same boy in her arms, where a heart was now torn and bleeding.The flame-haired young woman reached out to her, wiping twinkling diamond tears from her crystalline eyes as she took a step forward to speak."Delia…Delia I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault!Please, you need someone to blame right now, it should be me," she whispered brokenly, to which the young woman looked up."Oh Miss Jessie, it's not your fault, you were found in your own bed, with traces of sleep powder on you, it was done to keep you away, you couldn't possibly have-" Delia trailed off, looking away."_I could have stopped it, but…James couldn't have killed Ash, it wasn't his fault!He wasn't real Jessie get a grip, he wasn't real…_" she thought to herself then spoke, "No, I…I guess I just want to blame someone, and there isn't anyone to."

Misty looked up at last from burying her face into the warm comfort of Brock's muscular chest and wiped away her tears, pressing the now orphaned Pokeballs into her chest for comfort away from the only soul left in her once complete world.She kissed the red and white spheres reverently, and held them out to Delia, tears falling freely and unattended down her cheeks as the woman made no attempt to take the gift."Please Ms. Ketchum, I know Ash would have wanted you to take care of them," she began, but a hand held up forced her to stop."No Misty, it was very sweet of you to offer, and to think of me, but they're really of no use to me, I-I have Mimey, and he's all the help I could ever ask for, please, you were Ash's best friends, he'd want you to go on and do great things with them!He'd want you to do what he can't accomplish now…" her refusal was broken with a soft sob of a soul lost in the sea of darkness forever as Delia Ketchum again turned her face from the world.

Jessie, almost in response, snarled loudly in her mind and cracked her knuckles apprehensively, reaching the now looser feeling hands to the coffee table where her keys to freedom sat and stopping when she again heard Misty's low voice."Brock… What'll we do?Pikachu…And-And now Ash I-I can't do this, my parents…" She trailed off and Brock could only run a hand through her hair reassuringly."I know Mist, it hurts, I lost my mother, remember?But no matter what, we'll stick together, I promise I'll never leave you, I promise you that," Brock answered and Misty replaced the words on his lips with her own, kissing him softly until, exhausted from a sleepless night and hours of crying, the duo allowed their weary bodies to drift slowly down to rest.

Jessie didn't even feel the tears down her cheeks, nor hear herself tell Delia she needed to be alone for a while, and she would be back as soon as she had cleared her head.She barely felt the cold bite of the metal of keys in her hand, and walked mechanically down the steps, subconsciously taking a longer route outside, and realizing only then she had grabbed her long suede winter coat out of habit and had thrown it about her shoulders haphazardly.She stepped outside into the bitter wind that had been blowing for an eternity, whipping through the dimmed embers of crimson fire hair and cutting deeply into her raw and exposed psyche, the loss of so many people at what she deemed her own hand condemning herself to a life of misery."Now I too, have shed my own blood upon the ground James, we're both sinners, we're the same, now we can be together again," she whispered, and was lost in a flurry of souls passing by on the street.The stream carried her out into the world, away from the epicenter of tragedy to a place of solitude where she fought to break free from the vicious cycle of torment, the torrential flow of eddying souls, and her own tainted psyche.She found her own place of light and stayed, wishing madly for the ability to travel backwards in time, wishing for her soul to be renewed, and life to be lighted once more.She wished upon a tumultuous dawn for the past to change, but all that welcomed her, was an oddly comforting splay of pastel lights upon the horizon, which wrapped their tender strains and pallets about her heart and whispered in her ear, that sovereign dawn had once again risen.

@---

_My life goes on in endless song_

_above earth's lamentations,_

_I hear the real, though far-off hymn_

_that hails a new creation._

_Through all the tumult and the strife_

_I hear its music ringing,_

_It sounds an echo in my soul._

_How can I keep from singing?_

_ _

_While though the tempest loudly roars,_

_I hear the truth, it liveth._

_And though the darkness 'round me close,_

_songs in the night it giveth._

_ _

_No storm can shake my inmost calm,_

_while to that rock I'm clinging._

_Since love is lord of heaven and earth_

_how can I keep from singing?_

_ _

_When tyrants tremble in their fear_

_and hear their death knell ringing,_

_when friends rejoice both far and near_

_how can I keep from singing?_

_ _

_In prison cell and dungeon vile_

_our thoughts to them are winging,_

_when friends by shame are undefiled_

_how can I keep from singing?_

When the light once again found James' tired and red-rimmed eyes, he opened them experimentally, only to find they slammed shut almost immediately afterward of their own accord, and he barely heard the groan of pain that accompanied the involuntary movements."Good to see you're finally awake, precious," Giovanni's thick and abhorrent voice called softly from somewhere in the infinite void above his head and James merely turned his cheek to it, "Oh come now, you don't have to be that way, wake-up!"A harsh cuff across the face drew a gasp of pain from the chimera's parched and burning throat and the blanket of water he had so comfortably and blissfully ignorantly rested beneath lifted, and he found he could open his eyes.

They met with the fiery irises of a smirking demon, framed only by the blackness that was his body, a faction of it extending toward him with a brilliant star point of light glimmering in it."Don't worry, this won't hurt, just yet, then it will be the most excruciating pain you've ever felt tearing through your being.You will feel as if your soul itself were being split in two!"The strained and fatigued voice was followed by demonic peals of hollow and victorious laughter and an arrow of burning agony finding its mark in the side of James' neck, vomiting forth its toxins into his body, seeping the noxious venom of hatred and utter betrayal into the very essence he once thought purified.He made a weak attempt to cry out in protest as the vile black dragon of poison roared and clawed its way through his veins and body, a pain more excruciating and numbing than any he had ever felt, but found that no sound would dare exit his lips. 

The first of his pains had been of a union, a purging of old to make way for the new, wiping clean the slate of happiness and free will to cast it into flames that consumed it with a darkness beyond twilight.He had submitted to it, and accepted the black charred demon into his soul with open arms, and the pain had ceased, replaced by a black and hollow-shelled, chimerical, and nameless evil entity of himself, driven by madness to forget.Light had been the remembrance, and it had pierced the ebon pitch violently and suddenly, causing it to buckle, scream in frustration, but crumble away with the steady floe.The soul had fought a valiant battle and won, but as it felt the second and vengeful ripples of sheer agony course with an electric fury through his body, he thought it just might tear him limb from limb.It was not the pain of loss, as James had felt the sting of many times, nor was it the first pain of fusion he had suddenly remembered, but an unraveling, an undoing of a past mistake, a shredding of an existence that should never have been.The chimera could do nothing but clutch at his chest, willing it to stay together, trying valiantly to keep his body and mind from exploding in a super nova dust cloud of glittering black and white fragments in the vast space of his personal purgatory.

Giovanni laughed as James' eyes seemed to shrink in terror and pain, breath struggling to fill his chest, and face already deathly white with sweat just beginning to bead upon the barren tundra of his forehead and turned to go, waving him off with a hand."Farewell my pet, you shall die here, for no hospital shall go unguarded, this room with not be left unattended, you will perish with your own lonely thoughts, whatever they may be and the knowledge that you could have been something great, but you threw it away, and betrayed the one person who loved you!Goodbye!James Leblanc!Farewell, good journey to your miserable end, and I hope hell is hot enough for you," the man said with tears in his eyes and the metallic slam of the door to the labs finished his sentence with a mocking thud, leaving James alone in the darkness.

Pain consumed his soul, and he could just barely hear his own gasping above the roar in his ears, and the steadily increasing desperate thudding of his heart and not the door.He managed a small scream, but it did little to stay the dragon as it tore through his body, heart, mind, and soul with an insatiable hunger for the goodness he had only recently discovered still dwelt within his being.The poison ripped him apart, rendered him empty and helpless in his last moments, the wishes of the sadistic tyrannical man carried upon every drop as it mingled with his blood, searing his internal structure and scalding his mind."No…" he breathed, "It…It can't…It won't…End…How you desire…"The dragon bellowed madly in protest of the words of insubordination and bit down upon his vocal cords to abate them, but it was forced away with a snarl of frustration and another scream of defiance."NO!" James hollered to any that would hear, "He's wrong!He's always been wrong!Team Rocket is wrong, doing this to me was wrong!I won't let him win, I told him he had lost and I meant it, there's still one person who loves me, and though I have no heart to return it to her, my last breaths of life shall have her name upon them."

With a great amount of difficulty, James raised two fingers to his forehead, not caring how much pain it would cause him to execute a teleport even without the collar he only then felt absent about his neck, and closing his eyes to focus the energy in the correct places.Life for him he knew was ending, but he knew also how he wished it to end, and how it should have ended in the first place, realizing only then Jessie had not been able to say goodbye to him when his death had been staged over a year before.Curses for the black-souled demon, the bringer of death Giovanni, exited his lips, and a prayer that his beloved's soul was still beauty and light as a gentle feeling of weightlessness lifted his spirits to carry his body away.The torment had ended, and the light was fading, but the darkness again was one of peace, a tranquil stream of time ebbing gently away and taking him along with it past the dark looming, gray and twisted gates of death.A light flashed, and nothing was left in the dark lab save for an empty table, and the small sounds made by the various experiments that were not so lucky to be received by death kindly.

Jessie sat on her favorite rock by the edge of the lake in the park that the café she had shared lunch with old companions overlooked only the previous day, coiled into a fetal position with her forehead resting on her knees, crying as hard as she would allow herself."I can't believe this is happening," she breathed quietly between sobs, "James, or at least whatever that was last night, made a promise to me, but he can't be alive!"She knew only that he had somehow been involved in the death of young Pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum, and the thought that he could have betrayed her, the thought that he really was Giovanni's ultimate weapon every Team Rocket member knew he yearned for, bore down upon her soul with vicious tenacity.She cried, yet the reasons why still floated lazily about in her brain with a mocking and hazy mist shrouding the clarity of truth.Jessie looked up at last and growled softly to herself in frustration, knowing her tears were for Ash, but also for something she could not decipher, which in turn made her tears run harder, and her ears nearly deaf to the small sound of a great deal of energy behind her.

Red hair sailed in a crimson sunburst of flame as Jessie whirled around to face what she knew what would be there, her brief smile fading into a gasp of terror as her eyes locked instantly with the pain glazed emeralds of James'.He managed his own sad smile in her direction and sunk to his knees, arms wrapped about his body to hold it together and breathing heavily in a desperate attempt to fill his lungs completely."J-Jessica?I…Kept my promise…" he managed to whisper, and collapsed to the ground."James!" Jessie cried, leaping from her perch and rushing to his side, kneeling and cradling him gently in her arms as she gently brushed the sweat matted blue hair away from his fevered forehead, "James answer me!James!""I…I came back, just like I promised, I never want to hurt you again…" was his only response, and Jessie held him more tightly to her body."No, you never hurt me James, Giovanni did, it wasn't your fault, but now you're really back!I thought last night was a dream, but now I know its not!James, we'll be happy again, we can stay together forever!" she whispered joyously.The chimera let his tears fall, shaking his head gently as he struggled to open his eyes and laying a hand gently upon Jessie's wet cheek."I can't stay long, but please…Just hold me for now, I just need to feel you," he said softly, and Jessie pressed her own hand over his on the side of her face, closing her eyes reverently."Why can't you stay?I've missed you so much, I can't lose you again…What's wrong?God your hands are like ice," she protested weakly."I'm dying Jessica," came the simple response, to which the young woman gasped.

Jessie shook her head in disbelief, the severity of the words that had just been spoken missing her ears and shooting an arrow of fire straight through her heart instead, and though the red blood clouded her eyes as it sprayed from her chest, her tears and small scream of anguish seemed to rinse them from view."No!You can't!Why?What happened?" she begged tearfully, gently lifting James' limp body into her own."I've betrayed the man who thought he was my creator, and when a creation becomes a vagrant of its own free will, then it must be gotten rid of, so he poisoned me.But please don't cry for me Jessica, I don't want to see you cry anymore, I came here because I wanted to see you one last time," he explained quietly and Jessie could only stare.She shook her head as if to clear it, and while one hand remained holding James as close as she could, she clenched the other in fury, and would be satisfied only if she knew Giovanni's soul were also being crushed in her furious grip.

She looked back down into the calm and complacent eyes of the man she had seen only in her dreams, then lost every morning again as if to spite her original loss once more and closed her own reverently.She knew he had come to die with her, but smiled as she realized she must not let it occur.The sins of the past she severed from her conscience as she helped James from the ground, placing one arm over her shoulders as she led him away from the small clearing."No James!I've finally gotten you back, and I'm not going to let this end the way Giovanni wants it!I WON'T!I've just sat by and watched for all of this!I've been a weak and pathetic idiot!And if there's anything I hate more than weak pathetic idiots and Giovanni it's people who just sit around, dwelling on the past and waiting for things to happen!You have to make your own life, forget about what happened to you years ago and make a damn future for yourself!I'm not going to let you die James Leblanc!I let myself die when I let you go, and I never should have done it!" she proclaimed, to which James smiled up at her."You haven't changed at all Jessica," he whispered painfully, but with an air of fondness that caused the young woman to mirror the small grin."I'll take you back to my apartment, then we'll get help from there," she answered starting as quickly as she could in the direction."But Jessi-""Don't question it, save your strength it's a long walk," she cut James off and strode boldly forward, to which James could only smile more.

The duo made it to the front steps of the small apartment building with relative ease but James found his body would not comply with his wishes to move any longer, collapsing safely out of view in the deeper reaches of a lesser-used stairwell.Refusing to be beaten once more, Jessie gathered her fallen dark angel into her arms, just barely able to support the entirety of his weight with her strength, and through an incredible act of sheer willpower, was able to reach the door of her apartment, rapping harshly only a few times.

A gasp and the face of Delia Ketchum welcomed her at the door, and the impassioned young woman shoved her aside, barging into the room with a mere grunt of, "Move, clear off the couch."Misty and Brock, who had since woken up, but still remaining in each other's arms looked up with bleary eyes as Jessie herded them away guardedly, laying a black clad figure down where they had been gingerly, and smoothing his sweat dampened blue hair away from tightly shut eyes."James?James can you hear me?" she whispered through the last remnants of tears and the blazing emeralds the duo knew all too well opened only slightly in acknowledgement."Jessie what's going on?" Misty asked groggily, still clinging to Brock closely as she craned her neck to see the face of the figure in Jessie's arms.

A synonymous gasp of terror exited two throats as the pale, ghostly face of what, in their minds, had to have been an apparition looked weakly up to them, a slight smile playing on the lips of the soul they had only recently mourned the loss of."James?" they breathed reverently in unison."It can't be…" Misty whispered to herself."Jessie, you told us-" Brock began harshly, until the quiet and tender answer silenced and stayed his beginnings of fury."I know Brock, I thought he was gone, but last night, he was here.He-he told me what had happened, how Giovanni used him as an experiment, his personal puppet, and we were all made to believe he was dead," she said mutedly, gently slipping her hand into James' as she spoke."But…But I escaped, I kept my promise, I couldn't-" James had to stop as his body was seared with the fires of the poison in his veins, breaking his speech with a small groan of pain, "I couldn't keep my promise to never leave you again, but at least now I can say goodbye, and-and to you two, to say I'm sorry."

"What does he mean?" Misty dared to inquire timidly, "What happened?""He's been poisoned, Giovanni's trying to get rid of him, we have to get help," Jessie answered firmly, but was stopped when the only response she got was James barely managing to reach up to touch her pale cheek gingerly, cupping her chin in his hand lovingly as she looked back at him, closing her eyes at the pleasant sensation and holding his hand against her skin as if she were afraid she would never have the blissful joy of it again."Jessica you can't, Giovanni has agents everywhere, when he wants someone dead, you know as well as I do, there really isn't any hope, please just stay with me… I c-came here to be with you in the end, I…That's all I ever wanted…To be with you…" James trailed off mournfully as sleep overcame his senses, clouded his vision, and forced his eyes to shut with two lone tears trailing down his white cheeks.

Jessie allowed him to sleep, lowering him gently with a small exhalation of relief onto the pillow placed beneath him as Delia returned with it and a blanket, knowing the man that had been carried in earlier was gravely ill or wounded, handing the soft material to an obviously extremely grateful Jessie.She watched in quiet reverence as the young woman wrapped the shivering form on the couch lovingly in the soft folds of plaid fabric, smoothing his sweat soaked cerulean locks from his face and kiss his forehead lovingly, then replacing her lips with the back of her hand and a terrified silence as she realized how high the fever ran."This is him, isn't it?Your old partner, your best friend, the man you love, the one in your locket," she breathed quietly, daring to break the quiescence, and Jessie could only nod tearfully, "And you're losing him all over again."Jessie allowed only a tiny sob to permeate the silence that followed Delia's reverent statement, resting her head gently against James' chest as she clung to his hand, kissing it gently through her tears."And I don't think I can bear losing him again, not again, I still love him more than life itself, we can't just let him…" she whispered mournfully, trailing off and looking up with tearful eyes to the trio watching over her through the same cleansing waters of pain."Jessie, we-we can't, he was right wasn't he?The hospitals will be guarded, won't they?" Misty said with difficulty, and young woman turned back to her fallen angel as she realized the truth.Both Misty and Brock made a feeble move to comfort the sobbing soul holding close a dream that crumbled away at her touch, but were stopped by a hand each upon their shoulders, and a shimmering eyed shake of Delia's head as she led them away."No, let her have the last moments alone with him, this is the end of both of their lives," she whispered, and, understanding, the two younger people softly quitted the room after the parent of their old friend.They left alone a pillar of light in the darkness, a lone candle shining with a valiant futileness against the gales of fate, shining her light upon the newly whitened and purified soul in her embrace and willing both flames to stay lit for eternity.Though she knew that they shared one being, one soul, one flame, and it was slowly dimming to the placid and dormant crimson embers of eternal peace, she cursed fate, pain, and the winds that seemed to cut so cruelly deep into her psyche to extinguish her passionate fires as twilight fell outside the clear crystal glass paned window; and Jessie cried.

She let her light burn into the early hours of the dark morning, listening to James' labored and painful breathing, holding his inert hand, wincing in empathy each time air entered or left his chest and gently mopping his fevered forehead with a cool cloth.The formerly white pillow ran a malevolent and mocking scarlet with blood, and he would cry out occasionally, calling her name, as well as a few she had not heard, wondering exactly who Callie was, and if the Deirdre he apologized to had been the one she had also known from Team Rocket.She spoke to him gently, though she knew he could not hear her tender words of love from deep within the chasm of his nightmares, and the fitful slumber continued until James sat bolt upright with a small cry of fear, glazed emerald eyes wide open in terror, arms reaching for something intangible and unattainable before calming himself as he felt a pair of benevolent arms around him.He quieted, and swallowed hard as Jessie gently laid him back down, smoothing his sweat soaked blue hair away from his face tenderly once again while tucking the disturbed blanket about his trembling body as he squeezed his eyes shut and twisted his face in pain."Shhh, calm down sweetheart, it's okay, it's okay," she soothed, and James made a furious attempt to retain the hold he had once again gripped upon consciousness."J-Jessica?" he whispered hoarsely, disturbing even himself at the meekness of his voice."I'm right here, don't strain yourself, just rest now," came the firm answer, and James smiled weakly for only a brief moment, raising his eyes to meet sapphires as the warmth that was the angelic hand caressing his cheek permeated through the ice."So cold," was all he could initially manage through his chill paralyzed and bloody throat."Shh, don't talk, you'll be alright, just save your strength," Jessie instructed lovingly, mirroring the mournful but grateful gaze she looked into."I'm glad y-you're here, there's no one I'd rather be with now," James commented softly and brokenly, reaching his own scarred and burned hand to mirror Jessie's affectionate touch that still remained upon his skin.

James wiped the tears that fell away with his thumb and sat up slightly, a sad smile on his face as Jessie closed her eyes, pressing his hand against her cheek and nuzzling into it affectionately."And there's no one I'd rather be with than you, James," she answered, reverent and sincere, but looking away with a small sigh and a sad chuckle, "But you must think I'm pretty pathetic and silly, huh?For waiting around for you, doing something that I used to hate about other people?"James shook his head lightly as Jessie allowed his hand to gently lower back onto the couch with him, finally opening her eyes at his gentle and oddly comforting voice."I never thought that, ever.Jessica, Jessie, Jess, you're the strongest, bravest person I've ever known in my life," he answered sincerely, and Jessie could only smile in response.

Hearing him use the twice-shortened nickname she had allowed only James and Meowth to use, and simply the fact that he was finally speaking like the man she had fallen in love with caused a spark of passion to be ignited within her soul as she leaned down to kiss him on the forehead and embrace him tightly."Oh James, I knew you'd come back to me, I knew you would," she sobbed quietly.James made no attempt to mitigate his own tears, pushing Jessie away slightly to simply allow himself the long denied pleasure of looking into her eyes, his soft expression of a soul and mind finally at peace with himself and the world mirroring the tearful sapphire gaze he stared back into."Oh Jessie please don't cry.I-I never break promises, especially not to you, you were my light, my savior, I realize now, it was thoughts of you, dreams of you, that kept me alive.You gave me hope Jessie, you helped me live… Please don't cry," he whispered, running a hand for as long as he could through her hair, his eyes finally being drawn away from the gorgeous face by a gold glint at her neck.

Rubies and emeralds seemed to whisper a fond welcome back as he gently lifted the heart shaped and rose encrusted locket from her chest, opening it gently to once again view the images he had lovingly put there what seemed like lives before."Y-You kept it," he breathed in disbelief, "I didn't think Giovanni would have the decency to give it to you, but I'm glad you saw, I wanted you to have it."Jessie nodded as she took James' cold hand in hers again, simply needing to hold it, smiling down at his sickly form as she lovingly reapplied the cold cloth to his forehead."It's what gave me strength, even after I thought I would never see you again.I felt so safe with you, like I was only Jessie if there was James to go along, just being near you made me feel like I could take on the entire world, and it was comforting to know that I had something close to your heart close to mine," Jessie stopped with a small chuckle, "I've never taken it off since that day, the day when you..."Jessie trailed off, heeding the painful request of her throat and the inevitable tears that she could feel once again return to wash away her sorrows."I think we both died that day Jess," James broke in solemnly, and Jessie nodded, looking back down to her slain hero with tear filled eyes.

Long blue hair shimmering in the pallid silver moonlight, the glazed but somehow still managing to twinkle emeralds set in the tundra pale face, and a noble expression of quiet and dignified acceptation of death gave James an aura of heroism Jessie had never seen about her old friend before.She stroked his cheek in comfort as he was forced to shut his eyes in pain, turning his head to cough the blood that had once again gathered in his throat to the pillow, noting with little fear that it had gotten more difficult to breathe as time had passed.Jessie too, noticed the struggle for life giving air, letting her tears fall from her cheeks to the black void beneath her, shaking her head in almost disbelief as she rested it against James' erratically moving chest, gently clutching at the black garments still about his body."James, please don't leave me, please hold on… Part of myself died when I thought you had, I can't lose you again, I've lost you too many times, please don't die," she sobbed, realizing only then how little her begging could do for the wild scissors of the fates that came so close to the once vibrant strand of her beloved."Jessie, I-I promised you once, a long time ago, that I would always find a way home, but home's not a place, but a feeling, a place in a heart, and my home is in yours, as long as you hold me close, the memory of what I was, of the love we shared, then I can't ever leave you, and I can always keep that promise.You were always home Jess, always," James whispered quietly, his voice growing softer, slower, and breaking with tears as he went on, "Y-You won't forget me will you?"Jessie drew a small sharp breath, and nuzzled into his neck affectionately, her words ringing empty and poignantly cutting like an icy wind through the soul in her own ears as she whispered into his ear, "I'll never forget, James, never as long as I live." 

Heat from the scalding tears that ran freshly down James' cheeks sharpened his slowly dulling senses for only a mere moment before he closed his eyes gratefully, his mind spinning with a billion different colors as he allowed the black void that seemed to famished for his soul alone to claim it once more.He reached up to touch Jessie's cheek one last time, exhaling peacefully his last words to her before slipping into the blissful silence of the infinite oceans of his own psyche, "Don't let James go Jess, he's been gone a long time now, but always remember… He'll love you forever…"Jessie slowly shook her head once more, unable to hear much less comprehend her beloved's words, shimmering crystalline tears falling and losing their brilliance in the black fabric beneath them.Kissing his lips gently, she returned the affectionate gesture of a stroke along the cheekbone and snuggled close to his still shivering body as if to share her warmth and keep him in her world close to her heart forever, breathing in the scent she could still remember from the time she had first heard the admittance of the mutual sentiment that had permanently altered her former comfortable reality of callousness into a euphoric reverie of love."No matter what happens, no matter how long it is before we can live together in peace.I still love you, I always have, and I always will," she whispered tenderly, and lay still, "I love you, James."

Jessie thought perhaps if she just laid perfectly still long enough, matched her once strong and powerful breaths with the shallow and irregular ones she could feel beneath her breast, that her heart would also follow suit, and stop beating with his once it did so."Stop it," she told her body, "Stop living, stop working!Damn you Jessica, why do you always have to survive?"She squeezed her eyes shut, willing both lives to end, crying as hard as she possibly could until she thought her chest or head might burst, and wishing madly that they would.

And the heart that pumped the very essence of her being complied with her wishes and exploded into a thousand or more fragments, not breaking, but shedding its outer layer of black.She saw the pure raw essence of what both she and James were once she knew that his ice had broken with hers, and could not even manage a scream at knowing of the twisted mass of anguish it had become.She rose from the quivering soul, her eyes murderous and even, tears spilling out from them, still clutching the black death shroud about her angel as if it would help heal his pain, staring with blind eyes filled with rage to a distant place she knew only from a dream.Hissing virulently the name of the demon responsible, "Giovanni…"The need for blame vanquished any rational thought Jessie could fabricate, and fire laced her vision as she tenderly stroked James' cheek once more, and stood, bending down for one final kiss from his lips, turning away quickly as she headed for her bedroom, knowing she would never feel his loving emerald gaze again.

"We're a team James, Jessie, James and Meowth, best friends forever, right?Did you forget that?" she asked as she perched gently on the edge of her bed, opening the tiny drawer nearly hidden in the nightstand to reveal a delicate and elegant six shot handgun, "I bet, I did too, I think I forgot that more than anyone and I'm still sorry, but now I have to be the strong one, because it was never me, it was never you, it was all of us."Strength had been her virtue, weakness her sin, but in the darkest hours of the morning as Jessie loaded the intricately decorated weapon with only two bullets, running her hand affectionately over the enameled amethyst Arbok, her beloved and deadly Viper, she was unaware of the tears on her cheeks, or the noble expression etched in her features that begged for vengeance."I swear James, this is the last time we'll be hurt, and the last time Giovanni can hurt anyone else.This is for us, for Ash and Pikachu, and for Butch and Cassidy, and everyone else he killed," she whispered to herself, and tucked the petite gun neatly into its holster she had miraculously been able to hide beneath a Team Rocket uniform.

From the doorway she blew a kiss farewell from her palm to James, still sleeping feverishly with his nightmares on her faded blue couch and closed the entrance soundlessly behind her.It slammed a knoll in the darkness, shutting out the pain dwelling in the room, closing her love and her feelings away for one last stand of heartlessness in the face of a greater evil where a heart could be torn to shreds be simply being in its presence.She left her soul with the dying, happy with the knowledge she would never return and the one soul she had reunited would traverse the eternal dawn arm in arm with itself, playing, dancing with the light instead of darkness forever to rejoice.She felt the strength of the new union, in contrast to the pain James had felt with his and stripped him of it mentally, willing his soul never to awaken, to go on ahead and wait for her; and she knew he would.She had heard what Delia Ketchum, the mother of a dead son, had said about the end of both their lives, and made her final decision."I'll end my earthly life again, and we can be together, where the world will be kinder to both of us," she whispered to the stars as she started the car she was barely aware she occupied, and started the engine, knowing her destination all too well.The forest of darkness whipped past the windows in a flurry of ink spatters and light, blurring as Jessie pressed the pedal beneath her foot furiously close to the old carpet beneath it, and as the building came into view, she formulated the plan she knew would bring both her soul, and the twisted blackened one of the man she loved retribution with blood for eternity. 

@---

"_James?James is that you?Oh my god!I thought I'd lost you forever!Ha ha!I finally found you!Come on buddy, they're waiting for us!Let's go!Come on James, hurry up!_"

The pale silver and white disk of a wise, omnipotent, and strangely close moon, illuminated James' face as it rose above the top of a vast expanse of hills that seemed to stretch out for eternity before him as he watched.He shielded his eyes from the brilliant light casting eerie sliver shadows around the hills, and barely felt his expression shift to one of awe as he witnessed a spark of light born upon the metallically colored landscape, blazing a trail through the cold darkness with a triumphant white flame leading it onward.A screech and a loud fluttering of wings drew his attention away from the spectacle as a jet black raven sailed from an unseen location below him and narrowly missing his face, landing neatly upon the branches of a lone small tree alongside the platinum path radiating light the man only then realized he stood on.It meandered for endless miles before him, bits and pieces of it visible only because the hill he stood upon was slightly higher than the rest, a harshly cold but gentle wind blowing the black coat he could not remember not wearing daintily about his figure as he stared intently at the black bird. "_Hey James!Quit dawdling!Let's go!_"He looked up, swearing he heard Jessie's irritated voice call him from somewhere unreachable and through the peaceful whistling of winds."_James!_""Jessie?!" he called back experimentally through cupped hands and whirled back around at the sound of a goaded sigh.

He gasped in consternation as the woman in question placed her hands angrily on her hips with a loud huff, her iridescent flowing white dress shimmering lightly and cordially with the movement."There you are!I've been looking forever you idiot!" she reprimanded good-naturedly."But I've been looking for you!I-I thought I'd never see you again," James answered bewilderedly."Well I suppose in looking so hard, we just got lost all over again and again!Come on now, we really have to go!They're waiting for us!" the young woman in front of him quipped cheerfully; grabbing his hand and prancing merrily onward down the path."But Jess!Where are we going?Who's waiting for us?" James managed to inquire as they passed the tree under the harsh glare of the raven."You don't know?Oh Jim, you really are dense aren't you?All we have to do is reach the end of this road!I thought you knew that!" came the still bright reply as Jessie consigned to walk slower next to her friend.

James cast her a small smile over his shoulder as he felt her hand slide into his, but it faded as he looked down to them to find hers was slightly covered by the heavenly white dress she wore, looped elegantly about her middle finger in medieval gown style, while he still wore the jet black gloves he vaguely remembered from somewhere.It seemed more a union of light and dark than simply holding Jessie's hand, an unholy fusion of good and evil more than affectionate contact with the woman he called his best friend, and when he noticed Jessie herself seemed to radiate light, while he seemed to drink and corrupt its goodness, he looked away to the path he knew he should not walk."So what happens to us at the end of the road?" he inquired as nonchalantly as possible, swallowing hard his suspicions."Eternity I suppose, this path may never end, or it could end so abruptly, we'd never know we'd fallen from it!All you have to do is keep walking, never look back, and head toward whatever it is waiting for us!" Jessie replied as gregariously as ever, squeezing his hand as gently as she spoke when she looked back over to him, "Are you afraid?"

James managed to nod slightly, banishing the tears from his eyes and looking down to the black boots he wasn't sure he moved leaving a sickly ebon and oily trail behind him.He stopped suddenly, and pulled his hand away from Jessie's mournfully, looking away from her genuinely hurt and almost betrayed expression and her hand lingering in the air where it no longer felt the familiar warmth of the black gloves that had once been empty in her palms."James, what-""Jessie I'm so sorry, I can't go on.I-I just want to stay here forever, with you… Can't we stop?Just give up?We don't know what's down there, but we know here's safe, you have no idea what darkness I've been through to finally find you again.I need to be at peace, it's been a long road, I'm ready to move on," he interrupted quietly, finally looking up to his angel, the too familiar feeling that to even think of doing so was forbidden sinking into his stomach."Are you sure that's what you want?" Jessie queried calmly, to which James looked at her with a serious and thoughtfully confused expression, "I have a hard time believing that you just want to be with me!""Of course that's what I want, I've never been so sure of anything in my life," came the sincere and tearful reply followed by a good-natured laugh in response.

The red haired woman smiled companionably, and gently punched her friend in the shoulder, wrapping her arms about his neck briefly with a chuckle before looking into his eyes seriously, gently leaning forward as she brushed a non-existent stray blue hair across his cheek and behind his ear.James met the small movement forward with his own, and it was just enough to allow their lips to touch gently once, Jessie pulling away slightly to ensure the feelings were mutual, wrapping her arms back where they had been once it was confirmed by James as she finally allowed herself to be lost in a passionate kiss."_They say love conquers all… Does it James?_"James kissed her back with tears streaming down his cheeks, finally realizing what he had left behind when he had forgotten, holding her close and vowing never again to let go.

Jessie pulled away slightly, embracing her beloved tightly to rest her chin on his shoulder, nuzzling into the sweet scent of his luxurious blue tresses and kissing his neck gently, then whispering into his ear."What would you do if I said I wanted to give myself to you?That I wanted you to have my body, my soul, and my heart forever?" she whispered, taking James' hand to place it on her breast over her steadily beating heart."I would take you, and in return, I would give you my body, my soul and my heart forever, so that we were one," he answered softly, placing Jessie's hand tenderly over the crimson 'R' embroidered upon his own heart."_Blood, sins, James you are evil, longing and hope, Jessie you are good, this cannot be…_""This letter has seared into your heart, I cannot take it, you forgot what you were, what you are," she reminded him mournfully, and James nodded."I know, I am blackness, you are whiteness, I am evil, you are good, our union can never be complete, and I cannot walk this path of light with you.I once did, but my destiny has been chosen by another, and cannot be altered," he replied with tears in his eyes, looking up to the pearly white clouds beginning to dance upon the surface of the moon as he held Jessie more tightly to his body, his hand never leaving her heart."No…You're wrong.We do not walk the path others choose for us, we do not walk our own paths, we do not walk paths at all.For a path leads to a definite end, which a life never has, and we walk where we choose, we travel the path of darkness, or light, or both, or sometimes neither one at all.One half of your soul is still light, the other merely shade which you can only see as dark, I have shone my light upon you James, can't you feel it?Why did you reject it?You came to me once, and you left, and now you walk toward death with me and accept that we cannot be together?The threads of fate are named so for a reason, they can be changed, you don't have to walk this route, but it all lies in what you believe can be so," Jessie whispered again into his ear, and the path faded from view as James watched."_The path you saw was to death, it is not your time, you have a choice now, love or hate, life or death, light or dark?You accepted another's path as your own, but you have seen your own soul, and you may now redirect it._"

He clutched his angel tightly as if to verify she would leave him again, tracing delicately with two fingers up her back until they found the gossamer wings once again, and the second time, his beloved held him back, feeling her euphoric tears fall."You remember now," she breathed, "I have already given my entire being to you and tried to take yours, but you could not see me, because you didn't believe."James cried, not tears of sorrow as they had been for what seemed like his entire life, but glittering tears of joy that rolled from his cheeks to sear through the dark air triumphantly, landing on the now entirely silver ground, streaked with innumerable paths in varying degrees of brilliance."I'll never disbelieve again, ever.I choose my destiny, I am in control, but what made me think otherwise?" he managed to ask."The tormented soul who was so convinced he could break yours assumed it was already broken, and so did you, but now you know it isn't.You know who you are, you know your path, and you can change it now, look up James, my soul mate, my best friend, my everything, the beautiful man I love, you can forget and liberate yourself, and we can be together forever," Jessie answered cupping his chin in her hand and directing his eyes upward.

James was not afraid as a golden arrow of light shot forth from the heavens to pierce through his skull between his eyes, but he did not close them as he felt it lift his body gently from the ground."_Now you've kept your promise James, now you've come back to me…_"Jessie let him go, rather unwillingly, spreading her wings to catch the winds, listening to the gentle and finally friendly voices carried upon them and sending their cryptic but coherent message to her beloved as the golden light blazed dazzlingly through his body.It tore away the black miasma of fabric about his body as he closed his eyes with the pleasant warmth of it, his body relaxing as the light stripped him of his sins and pain.The pain he had seemed to carry with him eternally he felt ripped savagely away to be replaced with the light, seeping into his being and spreading out into his veins to cleanse them of the poison he knew he lay dying of.The stream of gold flowed over him like a torrential river, tossing his blue hair majestically about his face as it carried bits of the blackness away to be consumed by the now greater force as James opened his blazing emerald eyes to look longingly into the source of his strength, and found himself staring back."_Thank you Jessie, I should have believed myself when I said I believed in you, but you've managed to help me save my own soul._"He looked down placidly as the black boots and the choking ebon about his thighs vanished into the same iridescent white Jessie wore, and the cloak bearing the bleeding R was gone as well, leaving his chest bare with a pair of majestic angel's wings exploding from his shoulder blades with a sunburst of golden embers which showered upon the land and illuminated it in their warmth.

The grim landscape became the field of flowers as the world watched, the very same one James remembered from what seemed like a dream within a nightmare, and the blackened tree became the sweetly scented Sakura raining its blossoms down upon the hill and sending a cloud of them triumphantly into the sky."You did it James!" he heard Jessie cry, and with one great flap of her wings sent herself soaring into the sky and straight into his open and awaiting arms.He accepted her with exuberant laughter and a quick kiss upon her lips before falling a mere few feet to the ground, still holding her tightly as she joined in the mirth and sent them both rolling over each other down the hill.They stopped at the base, still clinging to one another gratefully, joy in their hearts, upon their lips, and tears of pure elation streaming down their cheeks, ignoring the flowers coating their bodies as they leaned in for a long and impassioned kiss."I love you Jessie," James breathed once they had broken away."I know James, and I love you, but you have to go back now," she replied, tenderly stroking the back of his head as she pulled him close."I don't want to go, I'm dying, it hurts so much, and life is pain, please let me stay, I want to stay here with you!" he protested softly."But you can't live in a false reality either.You've managed to save your soul, now you must save your body, and complete your heart.Wake up James," Jessie said forcefully."No-No please don't make me, I don't want to go!Jessie, please stay!" James cried as he felt his comfortable world crumble about him."I'll always be with you, and we can be together, but you have to wake up, James, wake up!" came the disembodied answer and the chimera said no more as a shooting pain of consciousness tore through his body."_Wake up James!_"His golden paradise faded and shattered, hurling him backwards into the abyss of blackness, silvery tears swept up as they fell to be carried away in the opposite direction while he watched in dismay, reaching for the thing that had been just out of his grasp the entire time, and finally knowing how he could reach it.He let himself fall, feeling the dragon roar back to life in his body as his senses heightened and returned to consciousness, crossing his arms reverently over his chest as he felt himself return."_I love you so much James, I'll always love you, please believe me, I know you know I do.You have to free us; we both have to break away from this vicious cycle.Start it, so that we may come around to a full circle.Dawn must shine its light upon us…James… Wake up!_"

A hoarse scream of terror cleaved its way into the silence of the room as James sat bolt upright on the couch upon which he lay, upsetting the warm mass of fur perched upon his stomach and startling the young girl and boy watching sentinel over him."Jessie no!" he managed to shriek before his throat constricted, widening his eyes with the sudden lack of air as he fell back, coughing blood violently to the already soaked pillow."Misty, try and calm him down!" Brock commanded curtly, attempting to restrain the thrashing man in his strong grip."Shh, James, it's okay, quiet now, shhh, it's alright, you're okay," she whispered tenderly running a hand through his sweat drenched hair, fighting back her tears as his screams of pain died down, "Brock he's getting worse."She sighed mournfully as James found he no longer had the strength to struggle, lying calmly with his mouth open wide and gulping for even the tiniest breath he so desperately wanted."Jessie, I-I… What happened?" he choked through the thick coppery crimson, clenching his teeth in agony, but slowly opening his glazed eyes as he felt Misty's tender touch upon his cheek as she wiped away the blood."Shhh, James, you're very sick, you shouldn't try to talk, just hold still," she said tenderly, smoothing away the cerulean matted to his pale and burning forehead and frowning as she looked back up to Brock, "So much blood, and he's so hot.I wish there was something more we could do for him, he's suffering."Brock shook his head and wrung out the sopping cloth that had been cooling the fever Misty spoke of until the man had awoken, gently reapplying it to be welcomed only by a dull groan as James took in as large a breath he could muster before speaking."I-I want to walk this path, I don't want to live like this anymore, I-I can't do it… I can't," he muttered feverishly, writhing gently in pain, and barely feeling a feline presence leap from the ground next to him, "Jess…Wait for me…I can't reach it.Where are you?"

Meowth resumed his silent vigil next to his old friend, purring gently and nuzzling into the damp warmness of his body gratefully, tears sliding down his fur and barely hearing Brock's or Misty's voices."He's dying Misty, there's nothing we can do," Brock said quietly, and Misty could not reply."But it'll be best…Fer James I tink," the feline began carefully, breaking the uneasy silence, "He-he won't hafta hoit anymore.I can't stand ta see 'im sufferin' like dis!It hoits me too, and even though I wish like hell he could stay wid us, make me an' Jess happy again, he's been through too much, and he desoives ta be free."Misty let her impending tears fall and nodded, stroking James' pale cheek gently with a thumb before reaching down to pet Meowth in comfort, only slightly comforted by his muted purring in response."What happened to him?Did Jessie tell you?" she asked softly, and Meowth nodded."What Giovanni did ta James, is inhuman… Inhuman…I-I always knew dat da boss wasn't real right in da head, always talking 'bout dominatin' da woild, but…But I neva eva tought dat he'd go dis far.He was always experimentin' wid genetics, tryin' ta make an "ultimate weapon' and I know he tried enhancing Pokemon wid human stuff, but James was da foist human he tried to combine wid Pokemon," Meowth related somberly, staring hard at the twisted face of his friend the entire time.

Misty clasped both hands over her mouth with a horrified and disgusted gasp, shaking her head in disbelief and not even bothering to wipe her tears away as she buried her face in Brock's chest.He put an arm around her comfortingly and scowled, his own sympathetic tears rolling down his cheeks as he drew back in fear of the lethal weapon in front of him."Y-You mean he was experimented on?" he ventured timidly."Dat's exactly what I mean, James was meant ta be a killa, and I dunno if he did what he was meant fer, but alls I know is dat he disobeyed Giovanni somehows, so dat's why he's gonna die.He always uses dis poison he made himself… A powerful combination of Arbok and Victreebell venom, a hemo and neurotoxin all at once, designed ta kill real slow and painful.Dat's why James can't breathe real well, and why he's coughin' up blood, cause a' da internal bleedin' it causes and it affects da area of da brain dat controls breathing… Sorry ta get technical on ya but…But all da cases I saw didn't go quietly, and-and it was usually because dey drowned in deir own blood ratha den da poison's woik…" he trailed off quietly with sobs, pressing closer to James as if he could somehow ease his pain, "I neva tought I'd hafta see Jimmy like dis!I-I neva thought da boss would… If I'da been smarter, if I'da seen it… James, please don't die on me pal!"

Misty and Brock could do nothing but quietly cry themselves, the irony of just a few days before wondering what had happened to the comically incompetent Rocket trio they'd grown so accustomed to being irritated by permeating their reeling minds as James once again opened his eyes weakly."M-Meowth?" he managed to whisper quietly and coherently, smiling as he made eye contact, "Hey pal, it's been awhile."Meowth brightened at hearing his voice and with a small cry of elation, leapt closer into his arms."Oh James, don't try ta talk, I'm here, now it'll be okay!You'll see!" he cried blissfully, overjoyed to feel James pet him gently."W-where's Jess?I need to see her…I-I need Jessie," he whispered painfully, barely able to speak with what little air he could manage to fill his lungs with."Jess…Jess isn't here, she left a message sayin' she was goin' fer a walk, and she'd be with ya again, can ya hold on till then?" Meowth replied, his voice once again vibrant at coherent speech from his dying friend.

James, however, didn't feel his eyes widen as he struggled to sit up slightly, nor the, what should have been, excruciating pain, collapsing back to the couch as Misty and Brock worriedly pushed him back down."No James, you really shouldn't move, you'll just make it worse," Misty reprimanded kindly, but the blue-haired man ignored her requests, turning to Meowth harshly."Meowth, does Jessie still sleep with her gun in the nightstand drawer?" he asked as firmly as he could."A' course she does, especially afta leavin' Team Rocket, why?" came the confused answer, and James shut his eyes in frustration and looked away with a quiet oath."Shit, go check and see if it's still there, and if it isn't, tell me what is there," he commanded, a weak finger pointing toward the room in question."Uh, okay," the cat conceded, leapt gently off the couch and trotted to the bedroom.

James relaxed once more after his friend had gone, moaning under his breath as he realized exactly how far he had let the poison tear through his body, and remembering only then his beautiful angel from his dreams."_Jessie, please don't do what I think you're doing, it won't help Jess, it's just going to bring more death, and I now I know why I protected life, I'm going to get mine back, I don't want to die anymore.I want to stay with you forever…_" he thought to himself, welcoming the icy cold of the cloth Misty dabbed lovingly across his forehead.He knew what his dreams had all meant, and cursed himself for ignoring them and the messages of strength his own soul had been trying to send him for years.He harnessed his natural power, found the ability he had withheld from Giovanni's knowledge for fear it would be exploited, and smiled broadly as he was suddenly aware of the rose he had picked from his reunion with Jessie still in his pocket.

He drew it out as Meowth returned, and touched the wilting lifeless petals gingerly, the brown leaf crumbling under his more powerfully omnipotent grasp, and as he watched the remains of the once vibrant life fall to the ground, he smiled victoriously and looked back to the cat, acknowledging his return."James, da gun's gone, and-And dere's only four bullets left," he wheezed breathlessly, and the stricken young man looked back to his flower.James clenched a fist furiously around the stem, ignoring the biting of the thorns into soft flesh and the warm stickiness of the blood seeping into his palm as he growled menacingly to himself for passing out when she had been by his side, wishing he could have told her to stay with him, and that he had decided to stay with her."I knew it," he breathed to himself, looking up to the group by his side, "I knew it!I know where she is, and she fully intends to come back in a body bag.If we don't do something and fast, she'll get what she wants.""No!We can't let Jess leave us!But James, I gotta take care of you!I ain't leavin' yer side.Perhaps dat sounds cold, an' it prolly is, I don't care…Jim, I can't let you die…When-When I couldn't even get ta say goodbye da foist time…It…It hoit so bad," Meowth protested sternly in a tearful voice, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly and looking away."Meowth, old friend, listen to me," he looked back up at the tender voice and touch of James, tears wetting his already soaked fur again as he accepted the dead rose held out to him, "Giovanni kills the mind before he kills the body, dangling death as a reward in front of their faces until they beg him for mercy so hard his ears bleed.He makes people want to die, like this rose.He severed me away from my life blood, you and Jessie, my only family in the world, just like this flower's been cut from the bush.I thought I could never come back, because once a flower is cut, no matter how much you regret doing it, it's going to die, I thought I was a different person, I thought I was his monster, but you see…"James trailed off, letting Meowth hold the rose gingerly in both paws as he cupped one palm about the dead and mournful blossom, the other gently touching the tip of the stem where it had been severed.

All three present stared in childlike wonder as a small spark of vivacious green light from James' finger burst through the veins of the plant, filling them with a pure essence of life derived from those who came from it, and as the mysterious chimera caressed and coaxed the rose to revive and rejuvenate with a loving fingertip, it stood once again proudly a rich deep emerald green and ruby red."Miracles can happen.I brought myself back, I've breathed life back into my soul, because it wasn't Giovanni who destroyed me, he merely set the destruction in motion, and I killed myself, but now, I can bring myself back to life.I'm the only one who can save Jessie, and she was the only one who could help me save myself," James explained reverently, and Meowth could only drop the lush and very much alive rose to leap into the pair of arms he thought would never embrace him again, crying as hard as he would allow himself."James, oh James, ya came back ta us, it's really you!" he whispered into his ear, and James smiled."Yes Meowth, it's really me, I'm back, I kept my promise," he replied with tears obvious in his voice as he cradled the Pokemon close.

Misty and Brock watched the poignant reunion with tears in their eyes for the soul they had practically witnessed being salvaged, disbelief and wonder etched into their joyous smiles."I-I have an attack, I hid it from Giovanni because I was afraid if he knew then he would turn to drastic measures, beating me, or sending me after more dangerous targets, but I practiced and I perfected it.Recover, I can heal myself with it and go after Jessie, but before I do, all of you have to promise me one thing," James said quietly, looking up to the duo that watched sentinel."Anything, we'll promise," Brock answered firmly, nodding the affirmative."I don't want you to follow me, and if we make it through this, you guys will still be our friends.I don't expect you to forgive me for what I did to you, but I-""James, no, you didn't do anything to hurt anyone, and we'll stick by your side, and who knows, maybe someday someone will find a way to turn your body back to normal!Ash…Ash is at peace now, and we want to help," Brock assured him tenderly, mirroring James' smile as he caught sight of both his and Misty's hopeful and encouraging expressions."And we promise, we're your friends now, you and Jessie.We want to help both of you find each other again," Misty pledged determinedly and James nodded in agreement.

He closed his eyes slowly with the conceding as he looked forward, placing one hand to his chest and gently easing himself into a more comfortable sitting position, the smile never leaving his face as his hand began to glow with a silver light."_Hold on Jessie, I'm coming, don't die on me Jess, don't die on me_," he thought to himself, initiating the life saving maneuver with a small gasp of astonishment.He felt the light plunge into his chest, wrapping him in its warm benevolence, gently raising his head in ecstasy as he felt it braid and entwine in a playful ballet about his body, tossing his hair about his face with a wind that cooled his body and cleansed the blood and sweat from his clothes.He heard a soft loving whisper in his ears as he slowly opened his eyes, smiling gently at it and the rapid ebbing of pain and cleansing from his body, heart, and soul, inhaling one last time deeply into his clear chest as the ropes of glistening light closed about him tightly before bursting into a thousands points of brilliance.They dissipated quickly, leaving in their wake a healed body, glittering eyes opened wide once again with a defiant smile playing on the no longer pale lips.James looked up to Meowth and the two humans behind him only briefly, winking slyly to them before closing his eyes to concentrate and pressing two fingers to his forehead, gathering the energy for a long teleport, and as he vanished from sight, all three present swore they heard his valiant thoughts in their minds."_Hold on Jessie, don't do anything rash, it's going to be fine, I'm coming for you, I'm coming.I need you back, Jess I… I love you."_

@---

"It's almost morning sir, James should be dead by now, he didn't look very strong and you used the most potent mixture.Isn't it about time we retrieved the body?The research crew needs the lab by-" the brown haired scientist began quietly, her voice sounding harsh and grating in the dark room until it was cut off sharply."Shut up Darcy, I really do not want to hear of it," Giovanni replied in a low growl, his eyes never leaving the window of his office where only the obscure horizon and the blotchy blackness of trees was visible.Darcy's face fell and she sighed, setting her clipboard down on the desk and rubbing her bloodshot eyes, attempting futilely to replace the strands of hair that had fallen loose from her tight bun."Would you rather I left you alone then sir?" she asked exasperatedly, realizing only after the words had left her mouth how insolent they sounded."Yes yes, get the fuck out of here, but do try and get some rest," Giovanni answered harshly, and with a small heave of relief under her breath, the young scientist gathered her affairs and quietly quitted the dim smoky office.

The older soul watched her go with a sneer on his lips, repressing his fury as best he could as he turned with an almost inaudible snarl back to his window, gazing up to the slowly sinking moon and placing one withering hand upon its panes."Why…Why do I always fail?What happened this time?I was so fucking sure I had James controlled!He was never that strong-willed before… It must have had something to do with Jessie.The little slut probably fucked him, told him he should belong to her and not me, and like the idiot he is James believed her, well, the little Mareep can have his herder in hell, I'll just have someone competent get rid of her," he hissed vehemently to himself, freezing in his stance as his ears barely detected the small click of a gun being cocked behind him, a wicked smile coiling his thin lips."Oh you're very observant, I am a strong-willed person, but James doesn't belong to me or you, you sick bastard, he's his own man, and a beautiful soul like his can't ever be killed by the likes of you!"

Hollow peals of laughter followed the firm and determined statement, the man they emanated from turning over his shoulder slowly to look the crimson haired beauty before him directly into her fiery and vengeful sapphire irises."Oh Jessie, always the hot head, here to avenge your dying lover?How very droll!Oh the irony is just so perfect, just as I was plotting to kill you too!" he chortled amiably, and Jessie raised the gun steadily to his forehead with a cruel smirk."Ha ha ha, quite humorous.True, I did love James when you took him away from me, I never stopped loving him, and I still do, but the irony in this is not that you want to kill me, oh no, it's that I have two bullets in this gun, _boss_, one for you, and one for me and that's all the retribution I will ever need!So you see, I will be the one taking my life, you took James', and well, we'll all say we had a part in yours!One sick little murder triangle don't you think?" she replied brightly, the infuriated tone of her low voice reflected darkly upon her face."Indeed it is Jessica Musashi Burkely, indeed it is, now tell me, has our dearest James passed on?Or didn't you have the balls to stay with him?I bet he doesn't even know you're still pining away for him does he?" came Giovanni's harsh reply, to which Jessie could not help but laugh spitefully at."Jessica Musashi Burkely does not pine, and yes, James will die thanks to you, he may even be gone now, it's best if I don't know, that way perhaps we can race each other to wherever we're going now!Now, I don't want him to beat me now do I?" Jessie's sinister reply came loudly and snidely, her eyes lowering abhorrently as she leveled her pistol with Giovanni's skull, her finger only barely squeezing the trigger before a knoll in the rushing of blood in her ears stopped her finger cold."Jessie no!Don't…Don't do it!Jess please stop!"

She turned her head to look, hand still trained at her target, but the cold fiery fury drained from her eyes and mind as they met with the figure of James, still dressed in black, but almost shining with the same silver light he had seen in her."J-James?You're alive!And you're alright!" she whispered, a euphoric smile spreading across her face as tears welled in her eyes.The adoring beam was returned, but as James felt he could leap into the pools of azure gazing as lovingly into him as the first time he realized he could tell her the secrets of his soul, time seemed suspended to him as Giovanni leapt at his chance, lunging in her direction viciously."Look out!" James cried as soon as the connection was made, and Jessie wheeled around to face her adversary.

The gunshot resounded clearly and finally throughout the bare walled and dark office of the secluded Team Rocket facility, there was a flash of crimson, grunt of pain, and a muffled shriek of consternation before anything was coherent.The gun clattered to the floor, spinning wildly until it came to rest in a spattering of blood on the ground, and James breathed in.He exhaled the breath sharply as his stomach twisted, eyes following the scarlet trail until he finally knew what had happened, his eyes skipping the entire route as he looked up."Well…James.Looks like… I win after all!" Giovanni managed to hiss, delighting in the chimera's cry of anguish, standing defiantly with both hands wrapped tightly about Jessie's throat, ignoring her nails clawing frantically at them for want of air, and the thick oozing of blood from the bullet wound in his side."Jessie!Let her go!" James snarled, his stance subconsciously growing more aggressive, his eyes tinting blue with psychic powers."J-James…Go!Run, save yourself.Please…" Jessie choked, her last sentence cut off by the gnarled hands as they tightened again, crushing any supply of air away with a final gasp for breath and a plea for one life to live."No James, stay, I'll kill her soon, but make one move and she dies now!Come back to me, and perhaps this little fiery beauty can go free," Giovanni taunted, kissing her roughly on the cheek.

James felt his hair begin to bristle with fury and building power, clenching his fists and closing his eyes at his beloved's ragged attempts to breathe and small cries of pain, each one causing the rift in his precarious self control to run deeper."Don't touch her, and I said let her go!I want her back, give my best friend back to me!" he snarled loudly, holding out his hand as if to receive something."Oh you want her back do you?Why James?Be controlled by me, or by her?Does it really matter?" he asked seductively, his lips grazing the pale skin of the woman within his grip."I will not be controlled by anyone!All I want is my Jessie, my family, my best friend, and the woman I love back!I know why you picked me for this, because I didn't stand up for myself, I let myself be pushed around, I was your twisted little marionette, but not anymore!So many people had to suffer to save me, Callie, Deirdre, Ash, but they sacrificed themselves because they saw something in me I didn't, and so does Jessie," he snarled in reply, eyes lowered vehemently as he stepped slowly forward."And what would that be?" Giovanni snapped indignantly, holding Jessie higher as her body slackened weakly."They saw me," James said simply, "Sometimes it's the people around you who really know you better than yourself.Once I began to see, then Jessie fell in love with me, and-And I fell for her, and it was the tiniest glimpse of my own soul that saved my life.You still lose old man, now give her back!"

Jessie's eyes slowly slid shut, tears of joy sliding down her cheeks and her clenched hands growing feeling heavy as her world swirled with black, suddenly able to breathe just slightly as the choking hold about her throat gave just enough to allow it, Giovanni staring blankly into the emerald fire before him.It told him why he had lost, but its words rang hollow and meaningless in his ears and heart, as if speaking in some holy tongue of a forgotten deity sprung back to life by the will of a soul yearning for vengeance and retribution.It was not for revenge, he realized, closing his eyes to hide his bare being, but for happiness and love which he had never believed could conquer anything until he had been proven wrong for the last time._"Of course, one must love oneself to love another, but this cannot be!I will not allow him to beat me!Not now, not when I came so close!"_ he thought to himself, opening his eyes once more with a sadistic grin.He allowed the only weakly struggling woman a small breath of air, reveling delightedly in the painful sound of it, as well as the incensed bristling of the tactfully advancing man in front of him with a small chortle of amusement."So self-righteous, I truly truly envy your ability to overcome this James my dear, but I'm afraid it won't be so easy," he mused, replacing his hands with an arm about his captive's throat."Ugn, James…" she managed to groan, gasping in pain as the hold tightened and found herself unable to fight any longer."Stop it right now!Your fight is with me!Let Jessie go now and finish this you coward!" James ordered angrily, his fury only fanned by the defiant smirk upon the old man's lips."You really want her that much do you?Well then, I suppose now I am forced to concur.You can have her back on one condition," he answered smugly, stroking Jessie's pale cheek tenderly with a thumb."God damn it get your hands off of her!What condition?Whatever it is I'll do it just let her go!"Giovanni's smile never faltered as a pain of agony shot through his abdomen through the bullet wound, placing his full palm against Jessie's cheek at the panicked retort and kissing her forehead gently."You may have your little whore back," he began softly, James' eyes widening in terror, "when you see her in hell!" 

"NO!"James lunged forward toward the still grinning Giovanni as his face set into a hard cut scowl at the woman in his arms, and with a blindingly fast movement twisted Jessie's neck savagely to the side. All James heard was his own screaming and a dull snap as his beloved was dropped violently from the fatal grasp, sinking to her knees unwillingly, eyes staring blankly as she was suddenly unable to feel.He reached her side in time to catch her before she crumpled to the ground, calling her name as loud as he possibly could and cradling her motionless body in his arms gently, unaware of Giovanni dropping to his own knees and finally clutching his bloody side."Jessie!Jessie no… No, don't leave me, not now, Jessie I…" James whispered desperately, tears in his eyes falling upon her ashen cheek as he caressed it soothingly with his bare hand.She managed a small and mournful smile, but though she wished she could reach up to touch his cheek gently, wipe away his tears and tell him not to cry, that she was so happy he had finally found himself and that she would cherish him forever, all she could manage as she felt her eyes slowly close with her own tears finally falling, was a small final whisper of, "I…love…You."

James drew a sharp ragged breath at the tiny and unbearably soft last words, tear-filled emerald eyes wide in horror as the breath quietly left his beloved's chest, running his hand along her cheek and through her hair one last time, holding her limp form closer to his body and not feeling the rivulet of tears intensify down the sides of his face."Jessie?No… Jessie…" he whispered, cradling her head beneath his chin and burying his face for only a brief stolen moment in her silky tresses, "No… Jess please don't go, please… please don't die, stay with me.I love you, I need you."James held her tightly, tears streaming down his cheeks from staring and frightened eyes, and only when he placed one hand over her still heart to find no rhythm, and heard no response to his pleas, did his soul finally accept the truth of the loss of a part of itself."Jessie… NOOOOO!" James screamed, clutching her close and squeezing his eyes shut, willing his seemingly eternal pain to end, wondering why every time he found a part of himself, the other had to die.

Giovanni's pained laughter resounded malevolently throughout the silence as James gathered Jessie's body into his arms, kissing her lips one last time regardless of the small trail of blood leaking from her nose and mouth and standing, blue hair gently tossing with an unseen power.The sound permeated through every fiber of his being, ignited the fires of hate that had been forged by the man himself within his soul, and as he realized that he was holding his beloved Jessie again only in death, his tears ran silently as their source met with another."You killed her," James snarled bluntly, taking a single step forward, "You _murdered_ her!""And so what if I did?" came the strained reply, "My only goal now is to make you suffer, so that I win.I will not lose… Not to you, not to anyone, but especially not to the likes of you!I have _never_ lost!""It's too late for that!You lost the second you thought a human life could be yours!You are manipulative and sadistic, and this is what you have resorted to… Tell me Giovanni, does this make you happy?To see others hurt, see them suffer, watch them die?How can seeing this help anything at all?!" James demanded, his voice breaking with tears as he looked to the pallid face of the woman in his arms, peaceful smile still on her lips in death.

Giovanni thought for a moment, to his desires for control, power, and the feeling of being complete he had only felt while he thought he had his ultimate weapon, and all the power in the world.He raised his eyes and opened his mouth to answer, but his words were stolen away, the sight of Jessie lying limp and very much dead at his hands, a scarlet condemnation upon perfect snow in the arms of the man she had sought revenge for abruptly blurring and all he could see was the blood.Not his own, but those of others upon his hands, Callie's teeth sank into his side, and he heard her familiar snarl in his ear and the vindictive insults in her native tongue, accompanied by her flame's child's triumphant cry and a crackling of electricity, Deirdre's soft mournful voice berating him at last, all their faces mocking him, and finally Jessie's voice rang a knell in his darkness, refusing to vanish even as he buried his face in his bloody hands."NO!Damn you, this is all your fault!Yes it makes me happy to see those who I deem worthy suffer, and you are no exception!I am fully aware of how many suffered at my hand and I feel no remorse.I can honestly say that snapping your _beloved_ Jessie's neck in front of your very eyes was the most pleasurable experience I have had in far too long!" he replied menacingly, looking up with shadows dancing across his pale face, and a smile on his lips.

The glass shattered, exploding into a dust cloud of glittering silver with a splash of blood, leaving behind not a reflection, but a clear rendering which ignited with cold blue fury."You bastard," the cerulean image sibilated as low and abhorrently as possible, then screaming at the top of his lungs, "You sick, maniacal, heartless BASTARD!I…Will NEVER forgive any of this!NEVER!"The icy fire engulfed the body, enclosing it in a sacred barrier, protecting two shadowed forms, one soul, one mind, one tormented conscience longing for the peace of darkness to enclose it forever, and the earth trembled in fear.Giovanni did not move as he watched James disappear from the malevolent amorphous form on front of him, blue psychic energy striking the ground with bolts of his fury, tossing his hair majestically about his face as he cast a stare as cold as the light which enveloped him at the man he deemed worthy of his insurrection."I have seen my own soul, Giovanni, and it is beautiful and good, you cannot corrupt a human life, and you are not some divine being capable of that as you would like to believe and have others believe, the only one who has that power is the holder themselves.A human being with any kind of soul or life force can only bring destruction upon themselves.Your error, Giovanni, lies in your beliefs.You are not a god, and you cannot command people who you think so little of like one!I allowed it to happen, but only because of your manipulation and torment, which is your only talent!You took so many lives, and not one has ever been able to gain retribution from you!Callie was my friend and she loved the boy you took her away from and he loved her, you took Deirdre who loved me, and Butch and Cassidy, all people dear to me, but now, now you've taken the only thing I had left.Jessie was the only woman I have ever loved, the first person to see me as a person too, my first real friend, the only person to see the scars on my skin and heart and cry with me, instead of criticizing me and telling me I deserved them…Jessie meant more to me than life itself, she was my best friend, my family, my only love, and now that she's gone, I have nothing left to lose so," James spoke reverently, stopping only to steal what he knew would be the last kiss from Jessie's lips then raising his head defiantly, "That makes me an extremely dangerous person!"

A blue aura closed upon the quaking building, blinding Giovanni with its brilliance and hiding James from view as the Earth itself seemed to heed a covenant with him, buckling at his will to obliterate all who would stand against him."Impossible," the older man breathed, managing to stand at last and staring boldly into the brilliance, "This can't be!James don't.Oh you fucking idiot you wouldn't dare!No don't!Stop it!STOP IT!"He fell to his knees, suddenly ashamed of his own brutally hostile sounding tone and the bloody atrocities of his past in the wake of the angelic form before him, clutching the wound that poured his life to the ground as he found himself staring into the fiery soul of the one he could not destroy."_This is for everyone you hurt, Giovanni… Die with the knowledge that no one will ever forgive you for what you've done, I am not a hypocrite for doing this, and that I will die now as well, knowing that I have done the world a favor, and I can finally love Jessie in peace.You… Lose…"_ James' clear voice cut through his mind with a split second of excruciating agony, then nothing as his vision exploded into ravenous flames, then faded slowly to white with a dull wail of energy."_Yes…Yes now I lose, this is a fitting end for me… James is strong, too strong for his own damn good, and if he has Jessie then my mission would be incomplete, but where there's a will there's a way, I really do lose every time… Why should now be any different?I've lost once more, and this is the final time.I lost, I lost…_" his own last thoughts echoed with those of another as the explosion hurtled his conscience into the black abyss with nary a scream nor cry of pain as the other's words finished, "_Meowth old friend I'm sorry, I can't come back but I know you'll understand.Jessica, I love you, I've been in love with you since the day we met, even if I didn't know so then, and I swear to you I'll love you forever.You complete me, and I couldn't bear to live without you, I'm sorry, I'm not strong like you.I always wished so hard to be like you, but I know now what I really wanted was to be with you.Always.This will kill me Jess, I know it, but I don't want to live anymore, not without you, not alone, and not with the guilt of everything I've done, I only want to be with you!I can walk this path now, I can reach the end, wait for me Jessie my love, I'm coming with you.I love you_…"

A flash of light against black velvet, a blood red curtain falling over the glittering infinity of stars, a split second of a cataclysmic roar, then nothing.Trees shied away, shielding themselves and their brethren futilely from the steely dawn fabricated of fury and sorrow as the world itself seemed to mute itself in terror of the agony carried upon the roaring eruption. There was a brilliant flash of blue, a shrill wail of the power carried deep within a source unknowable as it died away, then naught a sound again, as the rosy fingers of the sun stalled themselves and their joyful lights for a stolen moment of grievous reverence for one lone soul.

Through the wall of flames there stepped an ebon specter protected by a gentle blue aura as it forged through the blaze, a quiet and stern expression that would not waver etched upon his pale face.Tears escaped the blazing blue emeralds set into the porcelain framed with blue locks that caressed his cheeks in mock comfort, lost in the greater force of the crimson that tossed gently about the two bodies within the enclosure.Soon clear of any danger, the figure dropped to his knees, the cerulean power completely draining from his visage as he gently laid the figure in his arms upon the ground, and unable to support himself upright any longer, James gently ran his hand along Jessie's cheek once and collapsed to the ground at her side, his eyes never leaving her face."Why…Why am I still…?" he whispered to himself mournfully, tears still streaming unfelt down his cheeks as he pounded his fist into the mud, "No…"James struggled to get up with a groan of pain, closing his eyes and looking away as he gently gathered Jessie into his arms, too ashamed of himself to look upon her."God I can't even kill myself for her without screwing up!" he hissed softly, holding her close and burying his face in a single hand to cry, "I'm so sorry Jessie, I'm so sorry!"

_"She died for you James, she loves you…"_

The tears were no longer felt, the heat of the flames lost, and the silent serenity of the forest melted into nothingness as a voice rang clearly through the quiescence."I know, and I love her.I love her more than anything, I always have!I shouldn't have forgotten, I should have died too…" James answered quietly and a tiny glimmer of blue light caught his eye._"She wanted you to live… Sometimes others know one better than oneself, did you yourself not say that?"_Jessie's pale face illuminated a benevolent and warm cerulean as the particle lighted there daintily, soon followed by another as she was embraced once more."I did, but I wanted to die, I wanted to be with her…W-Who are you?" James answered timidly looking up into the paling sky inquisitively._"You admit it then!You did not want to die, you merely wanted to be with her, a pure and honest wish from a pure soul is not unheard, and tears of your creatures are not the only sacred and magical things in this world…"_"I-I remember… Ash, and Mewtwo… But I'm not really a Pokemon, I can't do anything, I'm not even human anymore," the blue-haired man whispered mournfully, closing his eyes as he shook his head."_You love each other, and they say love conquers all, does it James?_"

James gasped at the voice he suddenly remembered from the path of light, wondering if he were still dreaming as he finally felt a single tear roll down his cheek, and certain it would be blood, brushed it furiously away.When he brought his hand away from his face, however, he found himself strangely comforted by the brilliantly sparkling blue that dripped from his fingertips.It melted away with a loving caress as the benevolent voice was no longer audible, warming the frigid air around both souls with one last instruction to the chimera, "_Hold her close James, close your eyes and share yourself with her, become one once and for all_."The instructions were obeyed, a sweetly scented silver and blue mist slowly beginning to drift about James' body as he closed his eyes and made a wish on the final star of the night, and the first one of his dawn."_The tears… The tears brought him back, but… But the story is about Pokemon tears isn't it?I don't understand, but if you can hear this now, please, I love you, come back to me.I love you, Jessie."_

An answer to an earnest prayer from a pure heart born upon the peaceful sorrow of long awaited dawn engulfed the small clearing, dimmed the raging fires of hate which gently ebbed away carrying the memory of an evil unspeakable, and a pain unbearable.It wrapped its tendrils lovingly about the two bodies chosen to receive its power, and held them close, wiping the tears of sincere love and sorrow into oblivion as it took a life force into its being, to make it one with itself.The soul's wish was heard, and by the ancient covenant with the creatures of earth, it was granted to one who had finally seen a part of his humanity few others had been aware of.

Gold energy streaked through the sky, and melded to the blue, entwining with it as it closed one last time and burst, shrouding the two people in a curtain of dawn's benevolent light, and James ventured cautiously to open his eyes.He felt the soft touch of the morning light upon his skin and heart as he released his vise grip on his beloved, and before he could wonder why he was still crying in sorrow for her, a small gasp escaped his throat as he timidly touched her cheek to find the rays of light dancing with warmth upon her formerly ashen skin.No words dared follow, for as the brilliance of the magic began to fade having finished its spectacle, James pressed his palm fully against the soft skin as a final tear landed there._"I love you…"_A glimmer of gold, and James closed his tear-filled eyes mournfully, shaking his head ruefully to himself, but he was forced to look back up as he felt a tiny almost undetectable breath enter Jessie's chest."Jessie…" he breathed in disbelief, and almost in reply, she squeezed her eyes shut harder as if the light hurt already, and then they fluttered open experimentally.James' breath caught in his chest as his beloved's eyes searched blindly for only a moment before coming rest with his gaze, and she smiled gently at him, reaching up to brush away his tears with her thumb."Hey James.Why-Why are you crying?" she whispered gently, a wide smile spreading across James' face, making no more attempts to mitigate his euphoric tears as he embraced his love tightly."Jessie!Oh my god, Jessie, you're alive!" he cried through his sobs, "They're tears of happiness now.Oh Jess, I thought I'd lost you.""I can't lose that easily!" she replied, her own tears of joy falling as she threw her arms about James' neck in return, "And neither can my love for you, James.You're everything to me even still, you mean the world to me and I love you, and I don't care if you don't-"She was silenced by a gentle finger across her lips as James pulled away slightly, smiling lovingly at her, wiping the last of the tears from both of their cheeks, and leaving his hand cupped adoringly about Jessie's chin."Jess, how could I forget us?I love you, my beautiful rose, Jessica Musashi Burkely, I love you more than anything else in the world," he whispered, the soft reverent words replaced by Jessie's lips upon his own.

The kiss lasted only a few brief seconds, Jessie breaking away to rest her chin on James' shoulder and whisper in his ear, "Now you're back, my love, I knew you'd come back to me.I love you so much, James."The blue-haired man smiled in response, and nuzzled her cheek affectionately as he gathered her into his arms, lifting her as her grip about his neck tightened."I promise you, I am back now, and we can start over with our love fresh in our hearts.I've won Jess, once and for all, and I'm going to change my twilight into a new dawn for both of us," he said valiantly, turning to the golden and pastel splattered dawn with a new hope burning behind a genuine smile and a pair of renewed emerald irises.Leaning down for another coveted kiss from his beloved's lips, nothing more was said as he carried her still weak body from the clearing, and forgetting what he had left behind in the burning pile of wreckage, dimming to elapsed and deadened embers in the morning's light.

A small wind blew through finding the two souls gone, and nothing but the moving residual feelings of their love and hope chasing away the last shreds of night as it carried upon its way.The love of other souls carried with them could also be felt, their guiding light and protection leading them onward to their own reckoning as human beings, and the discovery of the power of emotions which both had vowed only to use for good.Love had conquered all adversities, slain the dragons of hate, and saved a soul from the blackest depths of itself, and though each had many to thank for their salvation, they were comforted in the knowledge that the sacrifices had been very willing.Drawn to madness, and back again, as James stopped after cresting a small grassy knoll overlooking the mountains guarding the world bathed in a golden halo of sacred light, he closed his eyes and silently thanked whomever was there to listen.

He finally believed what had been told to him by his own heart and soul, as the part of himself that lived in a separate being, and as he felt the crimson cloak of silky hair billow about his body, he was comforted in a sudden feeling of finality and familiarity washing over him.Sitting down upon the grass beneath a blossoming Sakura tree, hailing a soft rain of flowers upon them, Jessie sidled closer to him, and he wrapped an arm protectively about her waist and pulled her closer.Content just to sit in each other's arms, James looked to his field of flowers and a path bathed in the holy golden light of the world's dawn and his personal one, and smiled, knowing his twilight had fallen for the last time and his dreams had become reality at last.

Epilogue

@---

Five people stood about three simple headstones amidst a slight layer of snow, silently watching and praying for the happiness of three souls so ravaged in life the only peace they had been able to find had been through death.They were engraved with a short, meaningful saying each, and the names: "Ashton Satoshi Ketchum", "Deirdre Meredith Rogers", and "Pikachu: pet of Ash", followed by two dates."Mrs. Ketchum, I hope you can forgive me, I-I never meant for Ash to be killed I was only-" James began as Delia stooped to arrange the flowers she had placed on her son's grave."I know James, you were only trying to save the woman you love, and Ash was just so full of hate after Pikachu was taken.He wasn't even really my little boy anymore, he's-He's happier now, and I really believe that, especially after what you told me about what really happened to Pikachu," Delia answered with a sad smile, placing a hand on James' shoulder.James smiled and nodded back as Jessie slipped her gloved hand into his, huddling close to him for warmth watching solemnly as Misty and Brock mutually placed a small bouquet of white roses James himself had grown personally and given them for the occasion.

"I'm so sorry this all had to happen Ash, but I know you and Pikachu are back together again, and you're happy.Team Rocket's gone now, thanks to James, and they can't ever hurt anyone again, so rest in peace, and we'll meet again soon," Misty whispered reverently, her tears melting the snow where they fell."Yeah buddy, and don't do anything stupid while we're not there got it?" Brock commented amiably, which drew a chuckle from Misty as she wiped her eyes."Yeah, cause we won't be there to save your ass like we always do," she added and stood, turning around to face the others, "Goodbye Ash, I'll miss you."

Jessie smiled and received the younger girl in an embrace, stroking her ruddy mane affectionately as she cried into her shoulder, Brock choosing to change the subject and turn to James."So what are you two going to do now?Staying here?" he asked gently."Nah, Jessie and Meowth are moving out of the apartment, and we all have a place set up for us in Pallet, right by the ocean.Professor Oak was nice enough to get it for us, and he's going to be taking a look at me, seeing exactly how this transformation was done, and he said just maybe, he could reverse it, " James replied wistfully, then lowering his voice and whispering, "And I think maybe, I'll ask Jessie to marry me."Brock laughed and slapped James affectionately on the back, as he turned to the graves with the others, winking and elbowing the older man in the ribs."I'm sure she'll agree without haste!" he said as softly as he could."Yeah, but the shock is taking a while to go away, the ordeal may be over, but the scars take some time to heal," he commented softly, looking up to Jessie."But they aren't wounds we can't recover from," she said as Misty pulled away from her, "They're all self inflicted, and I don't blame myself anymore for what happened, so I'm on my way to recovery.""As am I," James added, putting an arm about Jessie's shoulders for one last prayer for Deirdre, Callie, and Ash, "I let my hate consume me, it was all I could see.Giovanni made me believe that I was wrong, that I had brought it all on myself, and I'm sort of known for blaming myself for things.I thought it was him changing me, and in a way he was, but he was making me inflict it upon myself, but now I realize I'm still the person I always was, and I can heal."There was a small silence as the snow began to fall harder, coats were wrapped more tightly about shoulders, and Jessie and Misty were both held by loved ones as the reverie of final goodbyes was broken."We'll all heal from this, and it's over now, all we can do is grieve and move on," Delia whispered quietly, "It's getting cold, all of you may stay at my house as long as you like, and I guess Jessie and James have to until their place is ready, but aside from that, I'll enjoy the company."

All present nodded in agreement and turned to go, leaving the graves and pain behind them, Jessie smirking as he philosophy began to filter into the live of others, and overjoyed to be walking with her beloved James' arm around her again.They talked easily, and the three spirits sitting in the branches of the bare Sakura tree chuckled to themselves as they piled into the car, and waved though they could not be seen as it drove away."Wow, James really is a great guy!And he and Jessie make such a cute couple, don't you think so Pikachu?" Ash asked brightly."Pika!Pikaaa chu!" the Pokemon answered happily, nodding with a vigor Ash had sorely missed."That's why I loved him, but he and Jessie really are meant for each other, their story is over now though, we should leave them be, come on Ash," Deirdre said wistfully, turning to go."No, their story is far from over, because this one is epic, and it's a story of true love!Those can never really end!" the little boy proclaimed with a finger in the air."Oh there you go again, you really have a great imagination did you know that?" the violet-haired woman muttered amiably."Pi, pika pikachu pika pikapi pika!" Pikachu piped slyly, and received a swift but non-aggressive decking."Of course I wish I could have been with Misty!But I'm glad she found someone to love in Brock, I always felt sort of sorry for the guy…" Ash mused thoughtfully, his attention only wavering from the sky when Deirdre yanked gently on his sleeve."Come on Ash, its time to go, we can still watch over them, you know that," she said kindly, and the boy nodded."Sure, come on Pikachu!""Pikaaa!"

The three souls departed, unaware of the devious pair of emerald eyes that watched from the car window, turning away as James chuckled and placed his hands behind his head."Goodbye guys, and thank you," he whispered to himself, turning back to the conversation.He answered that he had been laughing at nothing when asked, and nothing more was thought of it as the conversation returned to its previous course, and the small car wound its way along the infinite highways to its final destination beneath the watch of a few benevolent souls.It sped to a new beginning for all inside, for all had conquered their personal twilights, and dawn was awaiting all who would accept it, in the depths of a believing heart.

WHEW!The epic love story has finally ended!And that's really what it was, a love story!Sorry about the shoddy epilogue, but I originally hadn't intended for there to be one at all!So I had to slap one together!^^;;Reason being I got a wicked cool idea for a sequel to this one!Involving the Pokemon tear theory, because James brought Jessie back that way!(A different take on it just being that Pokemon tears are sacred for some odd reason, that seemed like just a convienent way to kill time to me, so I'm gonna explain it!)That is, if you guys want me to write a sequel!Please let me know, it all depends on you guys, I have a Slayers fic, another Pokemon one, and a wicked cool idea for a Fushigi Yuugi fic as well!So I could write any of those instead!But definitely next up is "Hex of the Rosestone"!So those of you who have been waitin' fer dat, I'll get crackin' on it right away!And BTW, I've had several requests for this fic to put it on a site!If you'd like me to send you a copy, please leave your E-mail, and I'll get it to ya!K?Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this fic as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Ja ne!


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